Authorities are investigating after two people were struck and killed by a car in Fort Lauderdale early Thursday, police said.



The incident happened around 2:15 a.m. in the 500 block of W. Broward Boulevard when a four-door Porsche lost control and struck two pedestrians, Fort Lauderdale Police said.



One of the pedestrians was killed at the scene and the other was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Investigators believe the driver, identified as 22-year-old Elyza Rachel Russell, was under the influence of an unknown substance, police said.

Two other people were inside the car at the time of the crash. No one inside the vehicle was injured, Fort Lauderdale Police spokeswoman Det. DeAnna Greenlaw said.

Russell was taken into custody and later released and is cooperating with detectives, police said. She hasn't been charged but police said they're waiting on the results of a blood test.



Police aren't releasing the identities of the pedestrians pending the notification of next of kin.

Michael Lacey said he witnessed the incident.



"It scared the hell out of me. I was sitting right there near it, I saw the car when it come through the parking lot and it went sideways. I thought it was gonna flip," Lacey said.

Lacey said he checked the pulse of one victim but it was too late.

"He was gone, I saw his head, he was gone," he said. "The other guy was still alive but he was under the car and he was kind of wrapped around the wheel and I'm looking at him going, 'this dude ain't gonna make it.'"



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