The crash happened just before 6 p.m. on Los Nietos Road near Norwalk Boulevard. Eleven-year-old Damian Medina died after he was ejected from the Honda Civic. His 13-year-old brother Jonathan was found in the front passenger seat. He was declared dead at the scene. The crash was so forceful that it sheared the car in half.
Witnesses told police the car was traveling at a very high rate of speed when it crossed into oncoming traffic and then slammed into a power pole. Witnesses also say the Honda may have been cut off by a second vehicle.
"I saw the car, and I only saw half the car. It didn't dawn on me that it was only half a car, I just saw the man in the car," said witness Anthony Marquez. "I heard him yelling out his son's name, I looked down the street and I saw the other half of the car. I ran down as fast as I could to see the little boy, I tried waking him up but he was already gone."
The 33-year-old driver, who is the father of the two boys, was hospitalized with critical injuries but was said to be in stable condition Friday night. He is expected to survive. His name was not immediately released.
Police were able to get surveillance video from cameras at several businesses in the area. They are hoping that will help them determine what happened.
Anyone with information about the possible second vehicle involved in the incident is asked to call Whittier police.
