USC student killed while walking near campus, police say illegal street racing is to blame

LOS ANGELES - A USC student was struck by vehicle and killed while crossing a street near campus, two motorists have been detained and police believe illegal street racing is to blame. 

The victim, identified by the Los Angeles County coroner's office as 21-year-old Arian Rahbar, was in a marked crosswalk on Jefferson Boulevard at Harvard Boulevard near his home when he was struck at about 3 p.m. Saturday, police said.

The vehicle that hit him was traveling eastbound on Jefferson, Rahbar was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Police say both drivers stopped and stayed on the scene... they were then taken into custody. 

"According to some of the witnesses at scene, they saw them at a light or two prior, revving their engines and kind of challenging each other," said Det. Ryan Moreno with the Los Angeles Police Department. 

According to police, the cars involved in the crash were a black Infinite and a Dodge Challenger Hellcat, which sustained damage to its windshield and rearview mirror. 

Det. Moreno says there is video being reviewed which shows the vehicles driving at a high-rate of speed. 

Neighbors say street racing is a major problem in the area.

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"It could have happened to me or my children. I just want something to be done with this street, either a light, from everything before this, cause this shouldn’t have happened," said resident Tracy Dotson. 

He says the cars were driving at least 80 miles per hour. 

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