One Killed, One Injured When Vehicle Is Rammed

One man was killed and another critically injured Tuesday after a driver repeatedly rammed their convertible sport utility vehicle, sending it rolling, authorities said.

Tom Bess, 21, of Lakewood died in the accident on Norwalk Boulevard just after 1 a.m., said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Carrie Stuart. His brother, Robert Bass, 25, was in critical condition, Stuart said.

The brothers were driving in a soft-top vehicle with two friends, said Lt. R. David Dietrich. Both friends were unhurt in the accident and told detectives that they first were rammed for no apparent reason on a side street by two men in a Chevy Suburban.

The driver followed them onto Norwalk Boulevard, where the Suburban struck the car again, sending it into the curb and flipping it, Dietrich said. It rolled for up to 40 feet, authorities said.

As the Suburban sped off, one of the men shouted out a gang slogan.

“I would suspect that either they are [gang] members who live in that area or that . . . they yelled it out to throw the police off,” Dietrich said.

The Suburban, which had been stolen from Los Alamitos hours earlier, was abandoned in a nearby alley, Dietrich said.