Photographer and teenage passenger killed in fiery Lamborghini crash
A popular photographer and his teenage passenger have been killed in a high-speed crash that caused the car to split into pieces.
Joel David White, 25, was driving a red Lamborghini near Burbank in California on Wednesday night when he collided with a Jeep and slammed into a tree before bursting into flames.
Mr White was ejected from the car, which police allege was travelling at 160km/h.
Both the driver and his passenger, Luiza Vaagnovna Karakhanyan, were killed in the accident.
A friend of Mr White told local news station KTLA he had spoken to him earlier in the night and Mr White agreed to pick him up from Los Angeles airport that night.
“I texted him and he didn’t get back to me," Alexander Lopez said.
“He’s such a nice guy. Always picks up the phone, and when he doesn’t … he always calls back.”
Mr White reportedly also works for a luxury car company, which owned the 2016 Lamborghini he was driving.
Tributes have flooded the Instagram pages of both Mr White and Ms Karakhanyan, with many sharing memories of the talented pair.
A close friend of Mr White, Ryan Steele, said he was struggling to deal with the face he will never see his friend again.
“Growing up with you since kindergarten makes it that much harder. Thank you for everything you ever did for me and helping me with my photography,” Mr Steele wrote.
“You were truly a great man and I’m truly blessed to have know you. Till we met again brother, love you.”
The 36-year-old driver of the Jeep sustained minor injuries in the crash.
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