Ip Settles Lawsuit Out of Court With Parents of Boy He Killed

A surprise settlement was reached Thursday between Roger Sing Ip and the parents of a 15-year-old boy he killed in 1989 after a traffic altercation.

The terms of the settlement were sealed and not revealed in San Diego Superior Court by the attorneys after the jury was dismissed.

Attorney John Moot, who represents Robert and Joan Yokes, parents of Kurt Yokes, who was shot to death on July 10, 1989, said he was pleased with the settlement, which came after he had rested his case.

Attorney Nancy Eichler, who represented Ip, and attorney Charles Rees, who represented Ip’s restaurant partner Andy Kam, could not be reached for comment.

Moot said that “all of the parties” wanted the terms of the settlement in the wrongful-death suit to remain confidential.

The shooting followed a near-collision in Pacific Beach when the driver of the car in which Yokes was a passenger allegedly directed racist comments and obscene gestures at Ip.

Ip, former part owner of the China Inn restaurant in Pacific Beach, testified in his criminal trial that he made a U-turn in his Isuzu Trooper and followed the car, intending to talk to the youths about the disrespect he said they had shown him. He had the night’s receipts from the restaurant and a loaded handgun in the car.

Ip testified that he panicked when another, 6-foot-4 passenger in the car approached him. Ip said he tried to put his vehicle in gear, but it stalled, lurching and causing the gun to discharge.

Ip was convicted of involuntary manslaughter last February after two juries acquitted him of first- and second-degree murder. He was sentenced to five years in prison and was brought to San Diego last week from his Avenal prison cell to testify in the lawsuit.