Crash at street car race kills 8 near Washington

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Eight people were killed early on Saturday when a car plowed into roadside spectators watching an illegal high-speed street race in a town near Washington, according to media reports.

A sedan, which had not taken part in the race, crashed into the crowd gathered along a highway in Accokeek, Maryland, 20 miles south of Washington, at about 3 a.m., The Washington Post said.

"The driver told police that he was blinded by a cloud of white smoke and debris kicked up by the spinning wheels of two vehicles that had just finished racing," it said.

"It was a very horrific scene with the number of individuals in the road at one time and the amount of debris," the Post quoted Cpl. Clinton Copeland of the Prince George's County Police Department as saying.

Eight people were killed and at least five were injured, including a passenger in the sedan, the newspaper said. Police had said earlier the passenger was among those killed.

The Post quoted one of the spectators as saying a crowd of between 200 and 300 people had gathered to watch the race.

Copeland said it was too early to determine if any criminal charges would be filed.

(Reporting by Mohammad Zargham; Editing by Peter Cooney)