HARBIN, Jan. 18 -- Five people were killed when their speeding car rammed into a tree at high speed in Luobei County of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on Jan. 2, police said on Sunday following an initial investigation into the accident.

The driver, Meng, was an auxiliary police officer at the Public Security Bureau of Luobei County. He was driving a police car without authorization and was drunk at the time. Meng was driving four of his friends home from a barbecue restaurant.

The car hit a tree near the side of the road at high speed. Four people died on the spot, and another died after emergency treatment failed, police added.

Further investigation into Meng's unauthorized access to the police car is under way.