Local News in Brief : Woman Dies; Driver Is Held After Chase
A 25-year-old woman died early Saturday after she was struck by a hit-and-run driver as she crossed Zelzah Avenue near Cal State Northridge, Los Angeles police said.
Investigators will seek charges of vehicular manslaughter and possibly murder against the driver, Scott Summers, 32, of Chatsworth, Sgt. Jay Taylor said.
A retired Los Angeles police lieutenant who witnessed the Friday night accident arrested Summers after chasing him to Pacoima, Officer William Mulvihill said.
Hiromo Masubuchi of Northridge was pronounced dead at Northridge Hospital Medical Center.
Summers originally was arrested on suspicion of felony drunk driving, Taylor said, but police said they will ask the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office to seek the more severe charges because Masubuchi died.
Summers refused to take a field sobriety test, Taylor said. The results of an alcohol test on a sample of his blood are pending, the sergeant said. Summers was being held late Saturday in Van Nuys Jail in lieu of $2,500 bail.
Retired Police Lt. Robert Kurowsky chased Summers’ 1977 Honda Civic until Summers stopped on Osborne Street near Jimenez Street, Mulvihill said. Kurowsky then placed Summers under citizen’s arrest.
Masubuchi studied part time at CSUN, a university spokeswoman said.
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