Driver dies after crashing into Hancock Park home, sparking garage fire

The driver of an apparently speeding vehicle that crashed into a home in Hancock Park died, and investigators Friday were working to determine if street racing was involved.

Crews responded about 11:35 p.m. Thursday to the 200 block of Rimpau Boulevard, near Third Street, according to Nicholas Prange of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The crash sparked a fire in an attached garage, in nearby vegetation and the attic of the house that burned for about 30 minutes, Prange said.

The driver of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz E63 died at the scene, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Authorities withheld information on the identity of the man, who was in his 20s, pending notification of his relatives.

The vehicle slammed into the bedroom of the residence.

“A little girl was in a bedroom and stepped out of that room, otherwise this could have been a real tragedy,” LAPD Capt. Brian Wendling told reporters at the scene.

A skid mark in excess of 300 feet was visible on Third Street in the area of the crash, Wendling said.

“Speed was a factor in this traffic collision,” an LAPD statement said. “The case is under investigation and it has not been determined if the collision was related to street racing.”

Anyone with information on the crash was urged to call police at 213- 473-0234 or 877-LAPD-247; or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.

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