Car Thief Crashes Killing Two Innocent Victims

 
Los Angeles: On Tuesday, February 3, 2004, at about 4:30 p.m., Foothill Area Field Enforcement Section officers wearing regular street clothes and in a regular, unmarked vehicle were conducting a surveillance of a stolen Chevrolet Suburban (SUV).
The officers saw the suspect, later identified as 21 year-old Alfonso Ybarra, of Pacoima, stop the SUV in the parking lot at San Fernando Road and Allegheny Street. As Ybarra got out of the SUV the officers identified themselves as police officers and attempted to arrest him for driving a stolen car. Ybarra looked in the officer’s direction, ran back to the SUV and drove away from the parking lot at a high rate of speed. The officers returned to their car and requested back-up assistance of a marked police vehicles capable of pursuing the suspect. Moments later, at the corner of Telfair Avenue and Sheldon Street, before officers in black-and-white police vehicles could arrive, Ybarra crashed with three other cars.
The two occupants of one of the cars involved in the crash died at the scene. These victims have been identified as Ana Gomez, 45 years of age, and Maria DeAranda, 32 years of age both were residents of Pacoima.
The occupant of another vehicle, a male, was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries. The occupant of a third car, a female, was treated and released from the scene with minor injuries.
Alfonso Ybarra was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries from the crash. He will be booked for murder when he is released from the hospital.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact Foothill Homicide Detectives at 818-834-3115. On weekends and during off-hours, contact the 24-hour toll free number at the Detectives Information Desk, at 1-877-LAWFULL (1-877-529-3855).
This new release was prepared by Public Information Officer Eduardo Funes, Media Relations Section, at 213-485-3586.