Los Angeles: On Wednesday, July 23, 2003, at about 7:05 p.m., a 16 year-old male Hispanic was killed and an 8 year-old male Hispanic was critically injured in a tragic vehicle versus pedestrian traffic collision. The collision occurred in the 400 block 104^th Street in Southeast Area.

Both victims were standing behind a wrought iron fence when they were struck by a 1994 Saturn, traveling west on 104^th Street, making a right turn into a residential driveway.

According to witnesses, the driver of the Saturn, a 27 year-old female Hispanic, attempted to turn into a residential driveway. Rather than stopping the vehicle, the driver accelerated and continued up the driveway, colliding with the wrought iron fence and pinning the 16 year-old between the wrought iron fence and a parked pick-up truck. The 8 year-old victim was pinned between the wrought iron fence and a block wall.

Paramedics from Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to the scene of the traffic collision and transported the 16 year-old victim to Martin Luther King Hospital, where he later died due to his injuries. The 8 year-old victim was transported to Harbor-UCLA Hospital where he remains in critical condition.

The preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of the Saturn was an unlicensed driver who was inexperienced. The driver of the Saturn is the mother of the 8-year-old victim. The 16 year-old victim was a local family friend of the driver.

The identities of both the 16 year-old and the 8 year-old are being withheld pending notification of family.

Anyone with any information regarding this crime is urged to contact South Traffic Detectives at 323-290-6063 or the South Traffic Watch Commander at 213-485-7336.

This press release was prepared by Public Information Officer John Moreno, Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.