The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office said Asheree Ryan and her unborn son died in the crash. Shortly after 1:30 p.m., a Mercedes-Benz sedan crashed into six cars near a gas station, according to the California Highway Patrol. Several people were thrown from the cars and two vehicles caught fire. News video from the scene showed the charred and mangled cars, as well as a child’s car seat among the debris covering the road. Surveillance showed the Mercedes swerving into an intersection, hitting at least two cars that burst into flames and sent them onto a sidewalk, ending up at the corner of the gas station. A fiery streak led to a car. A vehicle was clipped in half. “It looked like the whole intersection was on fire from corner to corner,” said witness Harper Washington. “Lots of sparks and electricity. It struck me that, really at first I thought a bomb had been dropped on us. I thought another world war had started. Then I realized it was a car on the license plate.” “Once the fire went out and the explosion went away, I realized there were two cars there. You can see people burning and it’s sad. I’m really praying for the people and the community.” Passers-by tried to help but found it difficult to fight the flames. Witness Alfonso Word choked up as he described seeing the pregnant woman and a child after the crash. “It hurts. It hurts,” Word said. “Because I have a grandson. I know people who have children. For a mother to be pregnant … that child never had a chance.” Copyright © 2022 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.
