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Police arrest driver in Boyle Heights crash that killed 11-year-old girl by taco stand

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Police arrested a motorist who slammed his Mustang into two parked cars in Boyle Heights, knocking one of the vehicles onto the sidewalk and killing an 11-year-old girl who was standing in front of a taco stand, authorities said Saturday.

Jose Louis Perez was booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, while a juvenile in the car with him was arrested on suspicion of possessing nitrous oxide, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The crash occurred about 7 p.m. Friday. Perez was heading west on Whittier Boulevard near Marietta Street when he crossed into eastbound lanes and crashed into the two parked cars, police said.

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The impact thrust one of the cars onto the sidewalk, where it struck four pedestrians.

All four were taken to a hospital for treatment. One victim, an 11-year-old girl whom police identified as Elektra Yepez, died of her injuries. The other three were expected to survive.

Authorities said speed was a factor in the incident, and the department’s street-racing task force was investigating the circumstances.

Anyone with information on the crash can call traffic detectives at (213) 833-3713.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

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Twitter: @AleneTchek

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