Police: Driver charged in death of Glendale woman in Pasadena is a parolee with gang ties

December 28, 2012

The driver whose flight from a traffic stop led to a crash in Pasadena on Christmas Day that killed a Glendale woman is a parolee with ties to gangs and a warrant out for his arrest, police officials said.

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 Pasadena police 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, 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 La Verne Police Sgt. Chris Fenner.

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

The three passengers in the silver Dodge Durango with Williams were also 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,” said Ibarra.

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

Victor McClinton, a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department technician, was killed by stray gunfire at 11 a.m. Tuesday outside his home on the 1900 block of Newport Street.

Another man, who police say may have been the intended target of the drive-by shooting, was wounded and taken to Huntington Memorial Hospital.

McClinton, 49, volunteered as youth sports director for the Brotherhood Community Youth Sports League.

McClinton’s death triggered a gang suppression detail that included Pasadena police and FBI agents. A Pasadena officer and an FBI agent were in the car that pursued Williams.

-- Joe Piasecki, Times Community News

Follow Joe Piasecki on Twitter: @joepiasecki

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