Man arrested for road-rage stabbing of driver preceding fatal crash
A makeshift memorial near the site where 52-year-old Rodolfo Tan of Burbank was killed. Tan was struck by a minivan that crashed into a Burbank bus stop.
A Glendale man was arrested Tuesday for his alleged involvement in a fatal car crash on Dec. 9 that took the life of a 52-year-old man.
Haroution Stepanyan, 24, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of stabbing the driver of a minivan that crashed into Rodolfo Tan — who was standing at a bus stop near the intersection of San Fernando Boulevard and Olive Avenue.
Stepanyan was in an argument with the minivan’s driver prior to the crash, according to Burbank Police Sgt. Derek Green.
Surveillance footage captured the “road-rage incident,” Green said.
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“It was learned that the driver of the van had suffered a stab wound to the chest in an altercation,” he added. “A crime scene was found on Palm Avenue between Glenoaks Boulevard and Third Street.”
After being stabbed, the van’s driver — a 33-year-old Glendale man — sped westbound on Olive. The vehicle went into oncoming traffic, jumped a curb and pinned Tan underneath.
Tan was rushed to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, while the driver underwent emergency surgery and survived, according to Green.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office has since filed charges against Stepanyan of one count each of murder and attempted murder.
No charges have been filed against the driver of the minivan.
“The investigation, thus far, and the judicial system going forward are the first steps in bringing closure to the family of Mr. Tan for what truly was a tragic night,” Green said.
Stepanyan is currently being held in lieu of $2-million bail.
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Andy Nguyen, andy.nguyen@latimes.com
Twitter: @Andy_Truc
