A 19-year-old man was in custody Wednesday for vehicular manslaughter after allegedly leading Gardena police on a chase that ended in a crash that killed another motorist, authorities said.
The fatal crash happened about 10:40 p.m. Tuesday at Artesia Boulevard and Western Avenue, said Gardena police Lt. Chris Cuff.
“Officers from the Gardena Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the 1400 block of Artesia Boulevard,” Cuff said. “As the officers approached the vehicle on foot, it suddenly fled westbound at a high rate of speed, ultimately colliding with another motorist at the intersection of Artesia Boulevard and Western Avenue.”
Suspect Dalton Bolinas of Torrance was treated at a hospital for unspecified injuries, and was arrested and booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, driving under the influence and grand theft auto, Cuff said.
The other motorist died at the scene, Cuff said. The name of the fatally injured man, in his 60s, was withheld, pending notification of his relatives, according to the coroner’s office.
Anyone with information on the case was urged to call Gardena police Detective Young Choi at 310-217-9635, or Investigator Jose Zamudio at 310-217-6189.