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2 hospitalized after driver crashes into crowd during Anaheim street takeover

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2 hospitalized after driver crashes into crowd during Anaheim street takeover

Two people were hospitalized after a driver ran over them during a chaotic street takeover in Anaheim early Friday morning.

The victims were only identified as a man from Lancaster and a man from Orange.

Video of the takeover showed hundreds of bystanders gathered at the intersection of Orangewood Avenue and State College Boulevard at around 2 a.m. 

Many were seen still wearing their Halloween costumes and enthusiastically gathering around while recording the chaos on their phones.

A driver in a black Dodge Charger was seen revving the engines and performing a series of donuts and burnouts at high speeds, narrowly missing bystanders on the sidelines.

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Fireworks were ignited in the crowd as the area filled with burnout smoke and the roaring sounds of spectators cheering.

  • The suspect's black Dodge Charger narrowly misses bystanders as he looped around at high-speeds in Anaheim on Nov. 1, 2024. (@05irvin)
  • The moment the suspect plowed into a crowd of bystanders, trapping two people underneath the car on Nov. 1, 2024. (@05irvin)
  • Bystanders lifted the vehicle to rescue the two young men trapped underneath the car during an Anaheim street takeover on Nov. 1, 2024.
  • Drivers performing burnouts and donuts during a street takeover in Anaheim on Nov. 1, 2024. (Southern Counties News)
  • Drivers performing burnouts and donuts during a street takeover in Anaheim on Nov. 1, 2024. (Southern Counties News)
  • The suspect's black Dodge Charger narrowly misses bystanders as he looped around at high-speeds in Anaheim on Nov. 1, 2024. (@05irvin)
  • Drivers performing burnouts and donuts during a street takeover in Anaheim on Nov. 1, 2024. (Southern Counties News)
  • The suspect's black Dodge Charger narrowly misses bystanders as he looped around at high-speeds in Anaheim on Nov. 1, 2024. (@05irvin)
  • Drivers performing burnouts and donuts during a street takeover in Anaheim on Nov. 1, 2024. (Southern Counties News)

Dave Downs, a Chapman University student, recalled the confusion he felt when he heard the frenzy and commotion outside his apartment.

“It was late and it was a bit of, ‘Is this actually happening or am I asleep?’” he said in disbelief.

Downs and his roommate, Julian Romano, live in an off-campus housing unit which was located just feet away from the chaotic takeover.

As the driver continued spinning out, at one point, he lost control and struck several bystanders at the center of the intersection, trapping two people underneath the car. The vehicle moved forward and the rear passenger side could be seen lifting up as the wheel rolled over one of the victims.

Videos on social media showed people trying to lift the Dodge Charger to rescue the young men, one of whom looked bloodied and barely conscious.

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The injured teens were rushed to the hospital with major injuries, but authorities confirmed they remained in stable condition on Friday night.

As the crowd attacked the Dodger Charger, the suspect driver was able to flee the scene amid the mayhem before police could arrive. Most of the spectators also left the area before arrests were made. 

“Social media is one of the main driving forces of how these events are publicized and so that’s how a lot of participants receive their information,” explained Sgt. Jacob Gallacher with the Anaheim Police Department. “People come from all over the Southland to participate in these and, within a moment’s notice, you’ll have several hundred people in an intersection participating in this very unsafe, reckless behavior.”

Back in 2021, the City of Anaheim passed a law allowing its police department to cite spectators at street takeovers.

Jack Wyluda, a witness, said Friday’s dangerous takeover lasted a while — at least an hour — if not longer. 

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Wyluda said he was also not surprised the gathering ended with serious injuries.

“We saw some people get hit, but they didn’t go under the car, they were just hit by the side of it,” he recalled. “We saw it from the balcony [of my apartment], and we were like, ‘Why are people participating in this?’”

Police are still searching for the suspect driver. He faces possible felony hit-and-run charges. 

Detectives are studying videos of the event that were posted on social media to aid in the search. They also believe there were more people who were injured in the event that have not come forward.

Anyone with information on the incident can call Anaheim Police at 714-765-1900.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Pasadena motorist knocked unconscious in unprovoked assault after other driver flashes high beams at him

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Pasadena motorist knocked unconscious in unprovoked assault after other driver flashes high beams at him

A motorist was rendered unconscious after what authorities are calling an unprovoked attack that occurred after another driver flashed their high beams at him, authorities say.

According to the Pasadena Police Department, the victim, a 63-year-old man, was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue near Washington Boulevard when a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction flashed him around 1 a.m. Saturday. 

“The victim reported that he was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue from Washington Boulevard when he observed a vehicle traveling southbound flashing its high beams at him,” a Pasadena Police Department spokesperson confirmed to KTLA. “The victim stated he stopped his vehicle and exited. He was then assaulted by an unknown suspect. The assault was unprovoked.” 

The attack left the man unconscious and with a three-inch deep laceration to his head, police added. Upon regaining consciousness, the man transported himself to Huntington Hospital, and it was around 1:20 a.m. when police responded there to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon and began their investigation.

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Upon arriving at the hospital, the victim told police that, due to his injuries, he was not able to provide a description of a suspect, vehicle or the weapon used, nor was he able to tell police the exact location where the assault occurred, although it was confirmed to be somewhere near Raymond Avenue and Washington Boulevard. La Pintoresca Park is located near that intersection.

No further details were immediately available.

Anyone with any information on the incident is asked to contact the Pasadena Police Department right away. 

Sofia Pop Perez contributed to this report.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Woman killed by driver while crossing PCH in Long Beach

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Woman killed by driver while crossing PCH in Long Beach

A woman was struck and killed by a driver while crossing the street on Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach.

On June 3, the female pedestrian was using the crosswalk at Pacific Coast Highway and Pacific Avenue around 4:50 a.m.

She had walked against a red light and was hit by a 19-year-old driver in a Chevy sedan, Long Beach police said.

Despite lifesaving efforts, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation.

A woman was struck and killed by a driver while crossing Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach on June 3, 2026. (Long Beach Police Department)

“At this time, impaired driving, distracted driving and excessive speed are not believed to be a factor in this collision,” police said.

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The woman’s name is being withheld pending identification by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information on the incident is asked to call Detective Joseph Johnson at 562-570-7355. 

Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.

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Man wanted for deadly Los Angeles road rage shooting extradited from Mexico

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Man wanted for deadly Los Angeles road rage shooting extradited from Mexico

A man wanted for a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles was arrested and extradited from Mexico after fleeing the U.S. in 2024.

The suspect was identified as Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Authorities had been searching for him since the deadly incident on October 10, 2024. 

Rojas and a second suspect, Joshua Rojas Sr., 47, of Downey, were driving on the northbound 5 Freeway in Boyle Heights around 4 p.m. when they became involved in an altercation with another driver that escalated into a shooting.

  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, was arrested and extradited to the U.S. from Mexico on June 2, 2026, in connection with a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles. (California Highway Patrol)

Video of the tense confrontation showed the suspects, who were driving a Dodge Durango SUV, opening fire on two men in a Cadillac sedan. 

The shooting forced the victim to pull over abruptly. That’s when a suspect ran up to the Cadillac, opened the passenger-side door and fired several shots at close range.

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In a panic, the Cadillac driver tried to escape by making a sudden U-turn and driving against oncoming traffic. He eventually crashed head-on into several vehicles.

The suspects ditched their SUV and fled toward a freeway exit on foot. The Cadillac driver was left with serious injuries and his passenger was killed. Their identities were not released.

The incident caused a miles-long backup that left thousands of motorists stranded on the freeway for hours and authorities worked to clear the scene.

Following an extensive investigation, detectives identified the two men as the suspects involved. 

Joshua Rojas Sr. was arrested in San Bernardino on October 22, 2024, on a murder charge. He remains in custody awaiting trial.

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Meanwhile, Christian Rojas had fled the U.S. and was hiding in Mexico, detectives said. A $4.3 million bail warrant was issued for his arrest. 

“Through a coordinated international effort, investigators determined that Rojas was living in Palomo de Arriba, Mexico,” CHP officials said. “The U.S. Marshals Service worked with Mexican state police to locate and arrest him on the outstanding warrant.”

On June 2, 2026, Christian was arrested and extradited to the U.S. to face a murder charge. 

“This arrest demonstrates that time and distance will not shield violent offenders from justice,” said CHP Southern Division Chief Chris Margaris. “For nearly two years, our detectives remained relentless in their pursuit of those responsible for this senseless act of violence. Through exceptional collaboration with the United States Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners in Mexico, we located and apprehended this suspect and brought him back to face the charges. We remain committed to protecting the public, supporting victims and their families, and holding violent criminals accountable wherever they may try to hide.”

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