Police Searching For Second Vehicle In Alleged Street Race That Led To 23-Year-Old Driver's Death In Fiery Wreck
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Police have identified a 23-year-old man killed in fiery street-racing crash in South Philadelphia over the weekend. Police say Elias Torres was racing another motorist when his vehicle crashed and caught fire, trapping him inside.
Security cameras captured the fiery crash near the city's stadiums. Police are now looking for a second car.
A source tells Eyewitness News that the video being reviewed by police clearly shows Torres was street racing with another car before he lost control. Police say Torres crashed and died.
Now, all that remains is a makeshift memorial and traces of the fire.
Torres leaves behind a loving family from Northeast Philadelphia and a 1-year-old daughter.
On Monday, Torres' stepmom spoke exclusively with Eyewitness News.
"I know he liked his vehicle and he would drive fast," Iris Torres said.
Police say Torres was street racing on Pattison Avenue by 7th Street in South Philadelphia when he lost control of his Jeep Grand Cherokee. It slammed into a fire hydrant, then plowed through a tree before exploding into a fence by Lincoln Financial Field.
A source tells Eyewitness News security video shows the moment Torres and another vehicle began racing and when Torres' vehicle veered off the road. Torres' family admits he enjoyed testing the limits when behind the wheel.
"That was his hobby, he really loved just being out there and just hearing the 'vroom, vroom,'" Iris Torres said.
But his family is also in disbelief.
"To be quite honest with you, from the bottom of my soul, there's more to this," Iris Torres said.
Now, instead of planning his future, the victim's family is planning his funeral. And while police are looking for a second driver, they haven't released a description of the car or said if the security video captured the vehicle's license plate.
