Driver who killed woman, boy had gang ties, police say

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The driver whose flight from a traffic stop led to a deadly crash in Pasadena on Christmas Day is a parolee with ties to gangs and a warrant out for his arrest, according to Pasadena police.

Darrell Williams, 22, of Pasadena was arrested on suspicion of murder after two people died from the impact of a collision that occurred just after 8 p.m. at the corner of Marengo Avenue and Maple Street. Williams led officers on a brief chase after failing to pull over for a suspected traffic violation.

An occupant of the Durango threw a loaded handgun from the SUV during the pursuit, according to police. Moments later, Williams allegedly ran a red light and crashed into a minivan carrying five people, including 26-year-old Tracey Ong Tan of Glendale and an 11-year-boy from Daly City, Calif., who were pronounced dead at the scene.

Williams was on parole and was the target of a $95,000 warrant for false imprisonment related to an incident in La Verne, said Pasadena Police Lt. Tracey Ibarra. The warrant was triggered by a domestic violence incident on Sept. 6, 2011, said Sgt. Chris Fenner of the La Verne Police Department.

According to Los Angeles County Superior Court records, Williams was convicted of the domestic violence charge later that month. Williams was also convicted of furnishing alcohol to an underage drinker on July 27, according to court records.

The three passengers in the silver Dodge Durango with Williams also were arrested. Demauria Hannah, 22, of Pasadena, Jada Mays, 18, of Pasadena and Brittany Washington, 21, of Los Angeles “all had gang associations or were previously identified as gang members,” Ibarra said.

Pasadena Deputy Police Chief Darryl Qualls said investigators are still working to determine whether occupants of the Durango were involved in a shooting earlier that day in Pasadena.

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-- Joe Piasecki, Times Community News

Photo: Crash scene in Pasadena. Credit: KTLA News.