Three Killed as Race on Downtown Freeway Ends in Crash

Three passengers were killed early Sunday when an allegedly drunk driver apparently racing another motorist on a downtown freeway lost control of his car and crashed, authorities said.

The driver of the 1989 Mustang, Martin Nunez, 22, of Los Angeles, was later arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter and felony drunk driving, said California Highway Patrol Officer Garry Goldenberg. Nunez was evidently the only one of the five occupants of the car wearing a seat belt; he suffered only minor injuries, Goldenberg said.

Another passenger in the car, a 25-year-old Los Angeles woman who was not immediately identified, suffered moderate injuries and was being treated at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

Coroner’s officials identified those killed in the crash as Agustin Pena, 30, and Jose Zuniga, 25, both of Lynwood, and Antonia Acosta, 25, of Los Angeles. All three were ejected from the Mustang and were pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, Goldenberg said.

“We believe there was some kind of freeway race going on there, not necessarily drag-racing, but some sort of speed contest,” Goldenberg said.

Results of a blood test on Nunez were pending, but officers at the scene allegedly smelled alcohol on his breath and found open containers of alcohol in the vehicle, Goldenberg said.

The accident occurred shortly before 2 a.m. on the transition road connecting the eastbound San Bernardino and northbound Golden State freeways.

Nunez was driving about 90 mph in the fast lane when he lost control of the Mustang, which went up an embankment and slammed into a freeway support pillar, Goldenberg said.

“He was attempting to take the transition road, which banks right, and he couldn’t negotiate the curve,” Goldenberg said.

No information was available about the other driver and vehicle allegedly involved in the race, Goldenberg said.