A driver died on New Year’s Day after he lost control of his speeding vehicle while trying to avoid a pedestrian and crashed into a restaurant in Bell Gardens, police said.
Officers responded to the solo-vehicle crash at Gage and Eastern Avenues around 12:10 a.m. Friday, according to a Bell Gardens Police Department news release.
When they arrived, officers discovered the car had crashed into JB Burgers, located at 5718 Gage Avenue, the release stated.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. He has not yet been identified.
According to the preliminary investigation, the vehicle was speeding eastbound on Gage when the driver swerved to avoid striking a pedestrian in the crosswalk at Eastern. The vehicle jumped the curb and ended up in the entrance of the restaurant.
The car was completely wrecked while the building was damaged, images from the scene showed.
No further information was immediately available amid the ongoing investigation.