Suspect in Deadly Chase to Recover

A man who prompted a high-speed chase through downtown Los Angeles that left a 4-year-old pedestrian dead is recovering from critical injuries suffered in the collision, police said Sunday.

Police said that because they have not been able to talk to the man, he has not been booked on any charges. As a result, police declined to release any information on the driver, including his name.

“We can’t do that until he’s formally been arrested,” said Officer Don Cox, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department.

Police also declined to release additional details on the accident Saturday that took the life of Evelyn Vargas, who was crushed by a traffic signal knocked over at 6th and Spring streets.

The chase began about 11:30 a.m. at 5th and Wall streets after a BMW, reported stolen from the Hollywood area, refused to pull over for officers. The four-minute chase wound through downtown until the driver ran a red light and struck a minivan, police said.

The impact jolted the minivan onto the sidewalk, slamming into a traffic signal, which fell on Evelyn, who had been walking with her mother, police said. The girl died at the scene of her injuries.

Javier Vargas later told a Spanish radio station that he last saw his daughter before he left for work Saturday morning. “I kissed my daughter before leaving the house while she was still asleep,” he said. “Who would have known that that would be the last time I would see my daughter alive?”

Police officials, who have come under criticism in recent months for conducting high-speed chases in highly populated areas, said information was not available Sunday on how fast the suspect and pursuing officers were traveling.

They also declined to release the names of the injured man and woman in the minivan.

Police said the critically injured suspect will likely be charged in Evelyn’s death.

“When she died, this became a homicide investigation,” Cox said. “He will be booked for homicide.”

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Associated Press contributed to this report.