Driver, passenger ‘miraculously’ escape dramatic SUV crash in Newport Beach, officials say

Two people “miraculously” escaped a dramatic single-vehicle crash that littered an Orange County roadway with various parts of their mangled SUV early Sunday morning, according to the Newport Beach Fire Department.

The driver and passenger had “self-extricated” from the vehicle and were seated on a curb along Jamboree Road — not far from the Palisades Tennis Club — when emergency teams arrived about 1 a.m., officials said.

A preliminary investigation showed their vehicle had struck and “severely damaged” two light poles and collided with a tree before coming to a stop in the road‘s southbound lanes, the fire department wrote on social media.

The SUV’s engine compartment, which had been knocked free, was on fire 20 feet away from the rest of the vehicle, and extinguished, the department said. One of the front tires was found inside the tennis club property, it said.

The driver and passenger were taken to a hospital in “stable” condition, officials said.

Investigators were still trying to determine a cause of the crash, they said.

In its Instagram post, the fire department wrote that “traffic accidents tend to increase during the busy holiday season,” and urged caution from drivers.

“Please slow down, stay focused, and drive responsibly,” the department’s post read. “Let’s work together to keep our roads safe for everyone this holiday season.”

Officials did not respond to a request for additional details about the incident Sunday.