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Bodycam video shows LAPD rush to save teens from fiery crash in Encino

Bodycam video shows LAPD rush to save teens from fiery crash in Encino

March 11, 2024

Los Angeles – Newly released body camera footage from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) shows officers attempting a dramatic rescue of two teenagers from a fiery car crash in Encino on February 20th.

The incident began when officers spotted a Toyota Camry driven by a 14-year-old girl traveling without headlights. Police attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle did not pull over. Due to rainy conditions, officers opted not to pursue the car but maintained visual contact.

Bodycam video shows LAPD rush to save teens from fiery crash in Encino

Tragedy struck when the Camry collided with a traffic light pole near the intersection of Ventura and Balboa Boulevards. Bodycam footage reveals officers arriving at the scene and acting swiftly to extract the driver and a passenger from the vehicle.

A 16-year-old girl was killed in the crash

A harrowing detail emerges as officers discover a third teenager trapped in the backseat. Sadly, the flames engulfing the car prevented them from reaching the passenger before succumbing to their injuries. The 16-year-old victim's identity remains undisclosed.

Bodycam video shows LAPD rush to save teens from fiery crash in Encino

Witness Howard Raishbrook described the desperate attempt to aid the trapped passenger. "The flames were intense, pushing us back," Raishbrook said. "It felt like seconds before the entire car was engulfed."

The surviving occupants, the 14-year-old driver and 18-year-old passenger, are unidentified. The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the LAPD's Traffic Collision Investigation Team.

Bodycam video shows LAPD rush to save teens from fiery crash in Encino