A violent crash near El Dorado Park this morning left a woman dead and parts of the neighborhood without power.
Neighbors said the car appeared to have been traveling northbound on Studebaker Road at high speed when the driver crashed at Spring Street. Police said the driver, a 29-year-old Long Beach resident named Kylee Sooter, “may have experienced a medical emergency, causing her to lose control of her vehicle and accelerate at a high rate of speed.”
After hitting a raised planter, the car flew into the air, “and struck multiple signs and a utility pole before coming to a rest upside down,” police said in a statement.
Bob Aronson was watching TV around 6:15 a.m. when he heard what sounded like an explosion and went outside to see the overturned vehicle. Another neighbor said an electrical pole was also on fire.
The crash left a trail of wreckage including the damaged power pole, a downed liquor store sign and debris scattered hundreds of feet along Studebaker.
“Looks like a war zone,” Aronson said.
Sooter, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was also thrown from the car, police said.
While they investigated, police closed Studebaker in both directions north of Spring.
“It is not believed drugs, alcohol, or distracted driving were a factor in the collision,” police said Thursday evening.
Neighbor Rose Foley said it’s not uncommon to have crashes along this stretch of roadway, but this one was especially bad.
“We didn’t hear any brakes,” she said. “Normally we hear brakes.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated with more information from police.