Restaurateur to Be Tried in Boy’s Killing

Pacific Beach restaurateur Roger Sing Ip will stand trial for the shooting death of a Mission Bay High School freshman who was fatally wounded after a minor traffic altercation.

Municipal Judge H. Ronald Domnitz on Friday ordered Ip, 34, to stand trial, at the conclusion of a three-day preliminary hearing. Domnitz also refused to lower Ip’s $1-million bail, after commenting that the shooting appeared to be unprovoked.

“I’m going to leave bail where it is. . . . I’ve had three days of testimony that puts Mr. Ip at the scene, but I haven’t heard anything about provocation,” Domnitz said.

According to witnesses, Kurt Von Yokes, 15; Michael W. Endsley, 19, and Debbie Lichty, 18, were driving home when a red Isuzu Trooper allegedly driven by Ip nearly collided with Lichty’s car. Words were exchanged and Ip allegedly followed the three teen-agers to Endsley’s home.

When the youths arrived at Endsley’s house, Endsley and Yokes got out of the car and stood at the end of the driveway. Endsley and Lichty testified that the driver of the Trooper fired one shot and drove away.

Dr. Leena Jariwala, a San Diego County pathologist, testified that the bullet entered the right side of Yokes’ chest, pierced his heart, both lungs, and liver, before exiting through the left side of his chest. Jariwala said the youth bled to death.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Gregg McClain said that Ip was a flight risk and argued against a bail reduction. Ip, who is from Hong Kong, is a British citizen and permanent resident alien of the United States. Ip fled the area after the shooting and hid in Los Angeles, before surrendering to San Diego police.

Before surrendering, Ip had a passport waiting for him in Los Angeles, McClain said. He faces an arraignment hearing Oct. 16.