Erika Martin
A 26-year-old woman was detained Tuesday following a 10-day search after she crashed her vehicle into a pole, killing two passengers, and fled the scene, officers said.
Samantha Lozano was charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter and one count hit-and-run causing bodily injury or death, among other charges, in relation to the Feb. 4 incident, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Gil Hernandez.
Lozano was driving her 1999 Infinity G20 westbound on Palmdale Boulevard, west of 130th Street East, around 4:30 p.m. that day, a press release from the CHP states. Although investigators are not sure how fast the car was traveling, they said Lozano allowed the vehicle to turn to the right, causing it to drive onto a dirt shoulder and strike a wooden utility pole.
As the car overturned on the shoulder four passengers were ejected, and two died as a result of their injuries, officers said. Officials did not identify the victims or provide details on the condition of those who survived.
Following the accident, authorities received numerous tips about Lozano’s whereabouts in the Antelope Valley, Hernandez said.
Around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, a hotel manager recognized her and alerted CHP that she was attempting to check in at the location, on Palmdale Boulevard west of the 14 Freeway. The manager took pictures of the vehicle Lozano was in before she left, officers said.
About 30 minutes later, CHP officers spotted the vehicle traveling eastbound on Palmdale Boulevard near the intersection with 5th Street West and conducted a traffic stop, according to Hernandez. Lozano was not in the vehicle, he said, but its driver was cooperative and shared information about where she was hiding.
That led officers to an apartment complex on 11th Street East, where they found Lozano and took her into custody without further incident, Hernandez said.
Lozano has been booked into the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, according to Sheriff’s records.
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