Youth Held in Death of Passenger in Car Crash

A Reseda teen-ager was being held on a charge of vehicular manslaughter Monday after his car smashed through a metal gate in Northridge, killing the passenger in the car, Los Angeles police reported.

Motorist Jose Luis Rodriguez, 17, was also under investigation for driving under the influence, although his blood-alcohol level was not yet available, said Detective Jim Mann. The passenger, whose identify was not released, died at the scene of the accident late Sunday night of massive head injuries, Mann said.

Mann said Rodriguez was driving north on White Oak Avenue at an estimated 40 m.p.h. in a 25 m.p.h. residential zone when he failed to stop where White Oak comes to a dead end north of Roscoe Boulevard. His Camaro smashed through a series of wooden posts and a metal gate onto Southern Pacific railroad property, coming to rest at the edge of the tracks.