The Region - News from March 10, 1985

A Wilmington man who authorities say caused a five-car collision that left a 19-year-old man dead has been booked for investigation of felony vehicular manslaughter. Antonio R. Villegas, 33, was traveling north on the Harbor Freeway at approximately 80 m.p.h. as he began to exit to the northbound San Diego Freeway, California Highway Patrol Officer Ruben De Avila said. Villegas apparently changed his mind about exiting and swerved back on to the Harbor Freeway where he hit a car, throwing its driver, John Basham, of Gardena, to the pavement. Basham’s driverless car went out of control, causing collisions by three other cars, De Avila said. Basham was pronounced dead at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.