Officers assigned to the Long Beach Police Department's Air Patrol Bureau were driving back to the airport when they came across the crash, which occurred at Carson Street and Faculty Avenue at about 12:30 p.m.
They and two good Samaritans, staffers at Long Beach City College, were able to pull the injured car driver from her burning car and smother the flames that had engulfed her, said Officer Jason Wong.
The officers then helped douse the fire that erupted when the motorcyclist, who was speeding down Carson, slammed into the side of the woman's Ford Escort as she tried to make a left turn from Carson onto Faculty, Wong said.
The high-performance motorcycle hit the victim's car with such force that it tore the passenger door from the vehicle and pushed the small car about 15 feet from the point of impact, Wong said.
It looked as though the motorcycle's gas tank exploded, and the fireball spread to the woman's car and ignited her gas tank, he said.
Preliminary estimates
A second motorcyclist was seen in the area, and investigators want to talk to him, Wong said.
It was not known if the other motorcycle rider was merely a witness, or had been racing with the suspect, who was pronounced dead at the scene, Wong said.
Long Beach Firefighter Paul Rodriguez said the woman was rushed in critical condition to Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. She is 49 years old, he said.
Police withheld her name until her family could be notified, Wong said.
The motorcyclist's name was withheld as authorities worked to confirm his identity, Wong added.
Anyone with information about the crash is urged to call Accident Investigations detectives at (562) 570-7355.
Tracy Manzer can be reached at tracy.manzer@presstelegram.com or (562) 499-1261.
