Boy dies after crash in Reseda
A 5-year-old boy critically injured in a Reseda crash Tuesday died Wednesday night, police said. His mother and infant sister remained in critical condition Thursday.
Ayman Arif died about 11 p.m. at Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA, said Kevin Maiberger, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department.
Two men, Brian Gilbert Barnes, 44, of Northridge and Armando Gamboa Ayon, 19, of Pacoima were rebooked after Ayman’s death on second-degree murder charges, said LAPD Officer Ana Aguirre. They were initially booked on a felony charge of attempted murder in the accident. They were being held on $1.5 million bail, LAPD Officer Sandra Gonzalez said.
The case will be presented to the district attorney’s office today, Aguirre said.
On Tuesday, Ayon, who was in a black Nissan Maxima, and Barnes, behind the wheel of a red Chevrolet Camaro, were driving on Sherman Way near Amestoy Avenue about 3 p.m. when Ayon allegedly lost control and crashed into a parked vehicle, said Lt. Roger Mora, an LAPD spokesman.
The 5-year-old, Ayman, and his 31-year-old mother and 2-month-old sister were standing near the parked car and were struck, Gonzalez said. The family had recently arrived in the United States, Maiberger said.
“Apparently, the woman was taking the children out of a car and they were walking,” Gonzalez said.
Police thought the accident might have been the result of a street race, but later ruled that out.
“It sounds more like a road rage-type incident,” Mora said.
Ayon was taken into custody after the accident and Barnes turned himself in and was booked Tuesday, Gonzalez said.
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