Party-Goer Beaten to Death After Vehicle Hits Other Guests’ Cars

Several suspected gang members drove off in a North Hollywood man’s Cadillac early Saturday after they allegedly beat and kicked the man to death after a party they all had attended, Los Angeles police said.

William Younger, 37, was declared dead about 5:30 a.m. at Northridge Hospital Medical Center where he was taken after authorities found his apparently lifeless body lying on a Canoga Park street corner, police Detective Robert Peloquin said.

Peloquin said police had arrested two suspects in connection the death, but declined to identify them.

Witnesses told police that Younger went to the party at a private residence in the 8000 block of Variel Street, stayed there several hours and was intoxicated when he left shortly before 3 a.m.

While driving his car away from the house, he crashed it into several parked cars belonging to other party-goers, Peloquin said.

Younger’s car finally crashed into a stop sign and came to a halt.

“At that time, a group of 10 to 15 young males believed to be gang members, who were at the party, surrounded the victim’s vehicle and dragged him out of the car,” Peloquin said.

“The suspects then proceeded to beat the victim to death with their hands and feet.”

Some of the attackers, who were between 17 and 22 years old, fled in Younger’s car.

The others drove away in their own cars, Peloquin said.

There were no party-goers remaining when police arrived at 3 a.m., authorities said.

Peloquin said police still are looking for Younger’s car, a black 1982 Cadillac sedan with the license plate 1HGR325.

Younger went to the party with a friend of the woman who was renting the house where about 25 to 35 people had gathered to celebrate a birthday.

Among the party guests were several gang members, who were friends of the guest of honor, and older friends of the woman who rented the house, police said.

Younger and the woman, whose name was withheld, were not gang members, Peloquin said.