Car Passenger With Head out Window Dies

A woman riding in a car with her head outside the window died after the driver sideswiped at least two parked vehicles early Wednesday, police said.

Apparently unaware of the woman’s injuries, the driver and another passenger continued going for several blocks before stopping, said Officer Jason Lee, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department.

The 20-year-old victim, who is from Australia, suffered severe head trauma, Lee said. Her name was withheld pending notification of relatives. Investigators did not know why she had her head out the window.

The driver, Karen Louise Shaw, 27, also of Australia, was booked on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter, Lee said.

Shaw is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail at Van Nuys jail, he said.

Shaw was eastbound on Victory Boulevard about 12:30 a.m. when her car struck vehicles parked along Victory near Corbin Avenue, Lee said.

The victim was sitting in the right rear of the car and the other passenger was in the front seat, he said.

Shaw continued driving about eight blocks to her residence in the 6200 block of Reseda Boulevard, where she noticed the victim was unconscious and bleeding from her head, Lee said. Shaw called 911, but paramedics declared the passenger dead at the scene.