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Four Injured in Carjacking Incident Near Rodeo Drive Holiday Lights
The Beverly Hills Police Department responded to a serious incident on Rodeo Drive after a carjacked SUV crashed into a building during the city’s holiday light show on Thursday night.
According to investigators, 22-year-old James Portul from Pittsburgh is accused of stealing a black BMW X3 at approximately 7:05 p.m. while in the 400 block of North Bedford Drive. He allegedly drove towards the festive display, managing to cover only a short distance before losing control of the vehicle and crashing into a pillar of an office building at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Camden Avenue.
A witness described the suspect as speeding and struggling to maintain control of the SUV before crashing into the corner of the building.
Prior to the collision, Portul reportedly struck two men, a woman, and a boy. The victims were promptly taken to a hospital by the Beverly Hills Fire Department; their conditions are currently unknown. Among the injured was reportedly a vendor in the vicinity.
Following the crash, Portul attempted to flee the scene but was swiftly apprehended by police officers who were present for a city event and were stationed just 200 blocks away on South Beverly Drive. The holiday light show was happening just a block from where the crash occurred, though it’s not clear if any of the injured individuals were attending the event.
Portul faces two serious charges: carjacking and hit-and-run resulting in injury.
Additional Information
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and are working to gather more information about the condition of the victims and any potential connections to the holiday festivities.
Source
www.cbsnews.com