Alleged Street Racer Kills 2 Boys, Will Face Manslaughter Charges

PERRIS (CBSLA) — A family is reeling after an alleged street racer slammed into their car Tuesday, killing two children.

The head-on collision occurred on the 21000 block of Oakwood Street near Old Elsinore Road at around 5:30 p.m.

Witnesses told police a silver-colored car was racing with another vehicle at a high rate of speed before the crash. It was only when those drivers got over the crest of the hill on Oakwood Street that they saw the blue car carrying the children approaching them.

Neither car pulled away in time. Two boys, aged 6 and 8, were injured and taken to the hospital where they died.

The driver of the blue car, believed to be the boys' older brother, was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

The driver of the silver car also suffered minor injuries and was taken to the hospital. Police say the driver will be facing charges of vehicular manslaughter after he is treated.

At the location of the crash Tuesday night, lit candles could be seen for the two boys some mourners said they didn't know personally, but that they recognized from the local school.

Earlier in the day, passers-by and good Samaritans could be seen attempting to console the driver.

"His little brothers, they weren't breathing, so he was pretty devastated," said one witness.

It's an easily avoidable tragedy becoming all too common in Southern California.

"Street racing, as everyone well knows, is very dangerous," Officer Dan Olivas with the California Highway Patrol told CBS2 News. You're driving vehicles at very high rates of speed, and in an area like this, there's children playing, there are houses lining these streets, and just like tonight, you don't know who's coming from the other side of the street, especially with the hill right here."

A black Honda, possibly a 2006 Accord, that was involved in the racing fled the scene of the crash.

"[The] black car was at the scene further down the road, and he took off moments after," the witness said.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to call CHP at (951)637-8000.