2 Suspects Charged With Murder In Pasadena Crash That Killed 2 Cousins
PASADENA (CBSLA.com) — Two alleged gang members who led police on a Christmas day chase that ended in a crash, killing two cousins were charged Friday morning with murder and other counts, the Los Angeles District Attorney said.
Darrell Lee Williams, 22, and Brittany Michelle Washington, 21, are scheduled to be arraigned Friday afternoon on two counts of murder, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of felon in possession of a firearm each at the Pasadena Courthouse.
Prosecutors plan to ask the judge to set bail at $3.1 mil for Williams and $2.1 million for Washington, the DA said.
Authorities allege Williams was driving a silver SUV, with Washington in the passenger seat, when a pursuit with Pasadena police began on the night of Dec. 25. Prosecutors say Washington was charged with the same crimes as the driver because she allegedly assisted in the incident.
The chase ended when the SUV collided with a van carrying five people near the Foothill Freeway and Marengo Avenue.
Tracey Ongtan, 25, of Glendale, and her cousin Kendrick Ng, 11, from Daly City were killed on impact, authorities said.
Three other passengers were seriously injured.
Two additional people were also riding in the SUV at the time of the pursuit and crash. Prosecutors declined to file charges against 18-year-old Jada Mays and 22-year-old Demauria Hannah, citing insufficient evidence.
If convicted, Washington and Williams face life in state prison.
The suspects' families were outside the Pasadena Courthouse and spoke about the charges.
"My son is a man and he's going to stand up and take responsibility for what he's done, but the Pasadena Police Department needs to stand up and take responsibility that they chased him down in a black, unmarked car," said Williams' mother, Collyna Winbush. "That's my one, and only, son. Just like the people lost their lives, I lost something, we all lost something."
"We don't want anyone to lose their life, and they say my daughter's a gang-banger but she's not," said Washington's father, Michael.
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