Three people were killed early Sunday morning in what police believe was an illegal street race involving a stolen vehicle in Long Beach, California.

The accident occurred just after midnight, according to the Long Beach Press-Telegram. A black 2003 Ford Mustang driven by 18-year-old Jesus Heredia Calixto and a stolen green 1997 Ford Taurus driven by a 17-year-old boy were speeding — apparently racing — eastbound on Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman Lisa Massacani said.

The two cars collided near 55th Place, causing the Mustang to spin out of control and crash into a huge stone sign marking the entrance to Long Beach Peninsula. The force of impact threw all three passengers out of the Mustang.

Calixto died at the scene, along with two of his passengers — 32-year-old Candice Ann Bustamante and another woman whose name was not released pending notification of her family. The third passenger, a 19-year-old boy, suffered life-threatening injuries and was still in critical condition on Monday.

The driver of the stolen Taurus and his 17-year-old passenger allegedly fled the scene on foot but were caught by police and immediately arrested. Authorities did not release their names because they are minors.

Local residents who witnessed the aftermath of the accident said the two boys ran away from the scene; one of them sat on the front porch of a nearby apartment complex and was heard saying over and over: “It’s bad. It’s bad. It’s bad.”

Police said one of the boys was found at a nearby 7-Eleven, where he was calling his parents.

People who live near the scene of the grisly crash were horrified, but not surprised. They say illegal street racing is common there. One of them, Lisa Christiansen, has lived there for 22 years and said she often hears cars racing on her street.

“Something like this was inevitable,” she said.

According to the Press-Telegram, residents want the city to install speed bumps to deter racing on their street.

Meanwhile, the accident remains under investigation and the Long Beach Police Department urges anyone with information about it to call Accident Investigations Detail Detective Dave Lauro at 562-570-7355.

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have been representing injury victims since 1976, and have special expertise in cases involving wrongful death.  The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.