California IN BRIEF : FRESNO : Teen Duplicates Death of Victim

A Fresno teen-ager, reportedly depressed over the hit-and-run death of a young man he was suspected of beating, apparently committed suicide by duplicating the victim’s death. Leonard Arias, 17, reportedly threatened suicide after learning that Tommy Tapia Jr., 28, who was allegedly beaten by Arias and two of his friends on a busy street in southeast Fresno last month, was run over after the beating by a vehicle that fled the scene. Police said that Arias lay down on the road in almost the exact same place Tapia died and was himself hit by a vehicle, which also fled the scene. Police had arrested two of Arias’ friends, Arthur Torres, 19, and a 16-year-old minor, in connection with Tapia’s death.