Los Angeles - On Wednesday, April 18, 2001, at approximately 12:20 AM, Officers assigned to the 77^th Street Area of Los Angeles, were southbound on the Harbor Freeway in the vicinity of Gage Avenue when they observed a newer model Lincoln also going southbound. There was one male occupant driving the car and a female seated in the right front passenger’s side of the car. The officers determined that the vehicle was a stolen vehicle. They continued to follow the vehicle and requested back-up units.

The suspect got off the freeway at Manchester Boulevard and went westbound turning southbound on Hoover Street. During this time, one additional 77^th Street unit arrived, and the officers attempted to stop the suspect’s car near the intersection of 90^th Street and Hoover Avenue by activating their red lights. The suspect’s vehicle immediately fled eastbound on 90^th Street at a high rate of speed in a deliberate attempt to evade the police. The officers then went in pursuit of the suspect by activating their red lights and sirens.

The suspect’s vehicle turned southbound on Figueroa Street and continued to travel at speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour. The suspect attempted without success to turn left at 130^th Street colliding into a business building located on the southeast corner of 130^th Street and Figueroa. As a result of the collision, the female Hispanic passenger inside the Lincoln was transported to Martin Luther King Hospital where she was pronounced dead from injuries she sustained. She has not yet been identified.

The driver of the Lincoln, male, Black, Stanford Philpot, 21 years old, was arrested for 187PC Murder. It was also determined that he was under the influence of drugs at the time of his arrest.

Anyone with additional information concerning this case is urged to contact the Los Angeles Police Department, South Traffic Division Detectives, at
323-290-6063.

For further information regarding this press release, please contact Media Relations Section at 213-485-3586.

This press release was prepared by Officer Hayley Purece, Media Relations Section.