Former Indiana Pacer Rasual Butler Killed In High Speed Crash

Former Indiana Pacers player Rasual Butler and his wife, "American Idol" contestant Leah LaBelle were reportedly killed in a high speed car wreck in Studio City, California early Wednesday morning.

According to police, a Range Rover driven at high-speed slammed into several fixed objects including a parking meter and a Marshalls store on Ventura Boulevard. The couple died instantly, and the wreckage forced the closure of Ventura Boulevard.

TMZ first reported the identities of the two crash victims.

The crash was reported around 2:30 a.m. on Ventura Boulevard near Arch Drive, said Officer J. Mayorga of the Los Angeles Police Department's Valley Traffic Division. Police said the vehicle was a new Range Rover that had to be speeding, judging by the debris.

The Indiana Pacers released a statement Wednesday morning on Twitter, including: "Our entire organization is deeply saddened after learning of the death of former Pacers player Rasual Butler and his wife, Leah LaBelle."

Butler was drafted in 2002 by the Miami Heat, and he played for several NBA teams including the Clippers, Clippers, Bulls, Raptors, Pacers, Spurs and Wizards. According to TMZ, his wife was an R&B singer signed by Epic Records. In the 2004 season of "American Idol" she came in 12th.

Ventura Boulevard, from Vineland to Tujunga avenues, was closed for the investigation. Eastbound Ventura re-opened shortly before 6 a.m. and westbound Ventura was to reopen a few minutes later, police said.

Our entire organization is deeply saddened after learning of the death of former Pacers player Rasual Butler and his wife, Leah LaBelle. pic.twitter.com/ezdVkM12PG
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) January 31, 2018

City News Service; contributed to this report. Photo: NBA player Rasual Butler, left, and Leah LaBelle arrive at the NBA Awards at Basketball City at Pier 36 on Monday, June 26, 2017, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)