Darrell Lee Williams Faces Murder Case After Christmas Chase Deaths In Pasadena
The driver of an SUV that slammed into a minivan, killing two family members Christmas day, was charged today with murder.
Victor McClinton Victor McClinton, the victim of an earlier shooting.
In fact, Darrell Lee Williams, 22, and passenger Brittany Michellle Washington, 21, both faced homicide chargers with gang "enhancement" after the Dodge Durango they were in hit the van following a brief police chase on Christmas night, the L.A. County District Attorney's office announced tonight:
The case is part of a series of tragic events that day in Pasadena:
Cops, reportedly including an FBI agent, believed the Durango might have been connected to an 11 a.m. shooting that took the life of an innocent bystander, sheriff's employee and youth sports volunteer Victor McClinton.
The 49-year-old was standing on or near the street, chatting with another youth coach when a collision happened nearby and shots rang out, killing McClinton.
That night, authorities set up a dragnet and apparently locked the neighborhood down for hours. The SUV was exiting the area, and cops tried to stop it, but it apparently rocketed away only to slam into a minivan carrying five people at Marengo Avenue and Maple Street about 8:15 p.m., police said.
Killed were 26-year-old Tracey Ong Tan (spelled Ongtan by the D.A.'s office) of Glendale and her reported cousin, 11-year-old Kendrick Ng of Daly City, California.
Today the D.A.'s office stated:
Williams, of Pasadena, and Washington, of Los Angeles, were charged with two counts each of murder, three counts each of assault with a deadly weapon, one count each of felon in possession of a firearm in case GA088486. The complaint includes gang allegations against both defendants.
Prosecutors' statement doesn't shed light on whether Williams and Washington might have been involved in the 11 a.m. shooting. But it does indicate that cops allegedly found a gun in the car.
Bail was set at $3.1 million for Williams and $2.1 million for Washington. Two other passengers in the Durango will not be prosecuted.
The defendants, who could face life in prison if convicted, were due in court today.
[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]
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