2 killed as car swerves off road, hits telephone pole

A 40-year-old woman driving a new Ford Mustang and her 38-year-old male passenger were killed Saturday night when the car swerved off Cold Canyon Road, authorities said.

California Highway Patrol spokesman Francisco Villalobos said the car apparently was traveling at a high rate of speed through a curve, veered up an embankment and hit a telephone pole near Pony Cross Road. The occupants, who were wearing seat belts, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Cold Canyon Road was closed for nearly four hours during the investigation. The names of the victims were not released.

Authorities are investigating whether drugs or alcohol may have contributed to the crash.