Two Motorists Are Killed by Shots Fired Into Cars

Two motorists were killed in separate incidents in which shots were fired into cars early Sunday, authorities said.

In the San Fernando Valley, a high-speed chase between feuding motorists turned deadly after one driver smashed into a light pole and then was shot to death by occupants of the other car, Los Angeles police said.

The dead man, a 24-year-old West Hills resident, was found in his demolished car near Winnetka Avenue and Roscoe Boulevard about 3 a.m. after a chase that witnesses said reached speeds higher than 90 m.p.h., Detective Rick Swanston said.

Police said the victim, whose name was not immediately released, was a reputed gang member. Authorities were still searching Sunday for a passenger in the dead man’s car, who witnesses said got out after the crash and fled in a vehicle that may have stopped to help.

Occupants of the second car were arrested minutes after the shooting and were being held without bail on suspicion of murder. They were identified as Sothol Roeung, 22, of Van Nuys; Ha Khanh Truong, 19, of Milpitas; and Tuan Anh Hoang, 19, of San Jose.

Swanston said witnesses saw the dead man’s car, a Nissan Maxima, trying to elude a pursuing Honda, whose occupants fired several shots.

As the cars approached Roscoe, the Nissan skidded onto the southbound side of the street and struck a parked van before slamming into a light pole. As the Honda pulled up, two passengers got out and fired several shots at the Nissan, Swanston said.

In Lennox early Sunday, a 16-year-old boy was fatally shot after he and his companions were wedged into a driveway by a sedan, Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies said.

Gustavo Orozco was one of four people in a car that pulled into a driveway on 104th Street near Felton Avenue to make a three-point turn when a two-toned sedan drove up behind them, blocking the exit, Deputy Benita Nichols said.

One man got out of the sedan and fired several shots into the trapped car, hitting Orozco and two other passengers, Nichol said. The gunman then got back into the sedan and drove off.

Orozco died a short time later at Martin Luther King Jr/Drew Medical Center, where the other gunshot victims were treated. Nichol said the victims were not gang members, and the motive is unknown.