Identifying three people who died after their speeding car slammed into a traffic-signal pole has proven difficult due to the severity of their injuries, Santa Maria police said Tuesday.

Two men and a woman were killed in the single-vehicle crash at North Broadway and Grant Street about 11:55 p.m. Monday, said Santa Maria Police Lt. Kendall D. Greene.

The driver, 20-year-old Jose Orlando Dominguez of Santa Maria, suffered minor injuries and was treated at Marian Medical Center, according to police. He was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter.

Investigators say they believe the 1988 Ford Mustang was traveling south on Broadway at up to 100 mph when the driver tried to turn left onto Grant, near a 7-eleven convenience store.

A 200-foot-long skid mark marked the path of the vehicle, which was sliced in half by the impact with the light pole.

All four occupants were ejected upon impact, said Greene said.

Officers found several opened and unopened beer cans at the scene, Greene said, adding that toxicology test results on all occupants may take several weeks to process.

The dead passengers were described as Latinos between 19 and 25 years of age, but Santa Barbara County coroners were unable to identify them as of late Tuesday, Greene said.

Eddie Salazar of Santa Maria said he was pulling out of the Burger King parking onto Broadway when the Mustang came close to hitting his car before crashing.

BI got out of the car and ran out to him but I didn?t realize he was decapitated,C Salazar said.

A woman with child passengers in a black Volvo also witnessed the crash as they waited at the light where it occurred, Salazar said.

BI didn?t know what to do,C he said. BThe kids started screaming. There were body parts everywhere.C

Salazar said he was too shocked to assist and went to sit in his car to pray while police and paramedics arrived.

Police shut down parts of Broadway and Grant for several hours to investigate the wreck.

Luis Gomez can be reached at 925-2691 ext. 2218 or e-mail at lgomez@santamariatimes.com