Local News in Brief : Man Chasing Driver After Crash Slain
A driver who abandoned a car after a traffic accident in the Baldwin Hills area shot and fatally wounded a man who was chasing him, police said Wednesday.
Samuel Mitchell, 26, of Inglewood was arrested on suspicion of murder and was being held at the Los Angeles Police Department’s Southwest Division, Detective Gil Freese said. Mitchell was expected to be booked this morning in connection with the shooting of Ricardo Eason, 31, Freese said.
Eason heard an auto accident in the 4900 block of Coliseum Street about 8:20 p.m. Tuesday and saw a motorist, later identified by detectives as Mitchell, running from the scene, police said.
Eason left his home and chased the fleeing man, Detective Richard Hoffman of the Southwest Division said. The man turned around and shot Eason once, Hoffman said.
Eason was pronounced dead about 9 p.m. at Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, according to a nursing supervisor.
Hoffman said detectives have not determined why Mitchell abandoned his car, which was struck by another car, then hit a parked vehicle. The suspect was later taken into custody at his home.
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