Police: 2 Men Killed In Crash Into Garden Grove Pool Were Convicts With Catalytic Converter, Loaded Gun
GARDEN GROVE (CBSLA) — The two men who were killed after crashing through a Garden Grove wall and into a pool were identified as parolees with extensive criminal histories.
The two men who were in a Dodge Ram truck that hit a car at Euclid Street and Orangewood Avenue early last Friday morning were identified as 24-year-old Joseph Mendoza of Paramount and 34-year-old Sal Fernandez of Reseda. The impact of the crash sent the truck into a fire hydrant, through a block wall, and upside down in a pool.
Police say both men had extensive criminal histories -- Fernandez was on parole and Mendoza was on post-release community supervision out of Los Angeles County. After the truck was removed from the pool, a catalytic converter, a power saw, and a power saw charger were found inside the truck, along with a loaded handgun, according to Garden Grove police.
Immediately before the crash, the truck had been seen by an officer speeding through a parking lot in the area of Chapman Avenue and Harbor Boulevard, Garden Grove police said. The officer had activated his lights and sirens to stop the truck as it continued west on Chapman, and police say the truck was still speeding when it crashed into the other vehicle.
The driver of the other vehicle was identified as Michael Clugston by his new wife Stephanie Clugston. A Gofundme has been set up in his name.