Boyle Heights

Man Arrested After Crash That Killed 11-Year-Old Girl

A nitrous oxide container was confiscated from the driver's car, police said.

A 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter Saturday after he crashed his vehicle in front of a taco stand in Boyle Heights on Friday, killing an 11-year-old girl and injuring others, according to Los Angeles police.

The suspect was later identified as Jose Luis Perez, said Officer Drake Madison of the LAPD's Media Relations Section.

Perez allegedly crashed into parked vehicles that went onto the sidewalk at 7:05 p.m. Friday and slammed into the taco stand in the 900 block of South Marietta Street.

The victims were taken to a hospital, and it was later confirmed that 11-year-old Elektra Yepez had died.

Two women were also injured. One of the victims suffered a fractured leg, according to reports from the scene, but the injury is not considered life-threatening. All the victims were pedestrians, said Officer Tony Im of the Los Angeles Police Department's Media Relations Division.

Perez was cooperating with investigators and was taken to the police station, Im said.

A "juvenile" passenger in Perez's car was arrested for possession of nitrous oxide, the LAPD's Media Relations Division said.

Officials have not said whether street racing caused the accident. However, speed was a factor in the collision, they said.

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