Man killed in suspected street racing crash in Canoga Park

Loved ones are devastated after a man was killed in a hit-and-run crash that may have been the result of a street race in the Canoga Park neighborhood of Los Angeles Wednesday morning.

The victim was identified as Alejandro Lopez Munoz, 26, of Northridge.

The crash was reported shortly before 1:15 a.m. in the area of Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Vanowen Street.

Two vehicles were traveling at a high rate of speed when one of the vehicles, described as a Toyota Camry, collided with the second vehicle, described as a dark-colored sedan, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The collision caused the Camry to veer off the road and crash into a pole, killing Munoz at the scene.

Witnesses told police the vehicles appeared to have been street racing.

“As one of the cars is getting ready to pass another one, they started acting really erratic on the street there,” a witness told KTLA.

Security video from a nearby business appears to show the two cars speeding on the road right before the crash happened.

Witnesses in the area said the sounds of the collision could be heard from blocks away,

“That thing was so loud and so violent that I literally thought it was right around the corner,” a witness recalled.

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Local residents said crashes caused by speeding drivers happen often in the area.

“I hear it in the middle of the night,” said Christopher Richardson, who lives near the crash site. “They’re street racing constantly and LAPD has their hands full because they don’t have much resources and they can’t be everywhere all in one place.”

The victim’s family remains devastated. Munoz’s father told KTLA the news of his son’s death has been very painful. He described Munoz as a kind person who was an aspiring barber.

His brother told KTLA, “I really do wish I could have hugged or told my brother that I loved him. He was a good older brother who I could count on and he will continue to live in my heart.”

Police described the incident as a hit-and-run but are investigating whether street racing was indeed a factor, police said.

“We keep seeing these fatalities,” said LAPD Detective Lisset Fuentes. “This one could have been preventable. There’s no reason to be racing each other. There’s no reason to be driving recklessly.”

The driver of the second vehicle, possibly a black Mercedez-Benz, drove away from the scene heading southbound on Topanga Canyon and is being sought by police.

A reward of up to $50,000 is available to anyone who provides information leading to the suspect’s identification, apprehension, and conviction.

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Anyone with information about the crash can call Officer Michael Sison at 818-644-8022 or Officer Freeman at 818-644-8115. The public can also call LAPD at 1-877-527-3247.

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

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.