LOS ANGELES (AP) — An alleged hit-and-run driver has been charged with murder in the death of a woman during an illegal street takeover in Los Angeles on Christmas Day, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Elyzza Guajaca, 24, was killed when the driver of a black Chevrolet Camaro lost control and spun off the roadway, colliding with a group of spectators, the Los Angeles Police Department said. At least six people were hurt. The driver ran from the scene.
Dante Terrel Chapple-Young, 27, was arrested last week in New Mexico, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement. In addition to murder, he is charged with one count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death, the statement said.
It wasn't immediately known if Chapple-Young, of Orange County, has an attorney. He has waived extradition from New Mexico, officials said.
The Christmas Day crash occurred in the Hyde Park neighborhood during a takeover — an exhibition of speed and wild driving where drivers shut down intersections and perform car stunts like doughnuts, drifting and burnouts.
Guajaca was a nursing student, the DA's office said.
“Ms. Guajaca was working toward a career dedicated to bringing comfort and care to people in our community,” District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement. “Her life ended because of a street takeover that benefitted no one and only brought heartache."
