Restaurateur Surrenders in Killing of Boy

Roger Sing Ip, accused of killing a 15-year-old La Jolla boy July 10 after a traffic altercation, turned himself in Thursday afternoon in a San Diego courtroom. A judge set his bail at $1 million.

The appearance in Municipal Court of Ip, 33, a Pacific Beach restaurateur who had not been seen since the incident and was believed to have fled to Los Angeles, was arranged by his attorney, Elisabeth Semel.

Semel would not explain Ip’s presence or his whereabouts for the last two weeks. But, before Municipal Judge John Thompson, who earlier had signed a warrant for Ip’s arrest, Semel adamantly portrayed the businessman as “absolutely above reproach” and asked for a continuance of the arraignment and $50,000 bail.

“It is obvious that, out of grave concern for his family and his wife, he is present in this court today. I am confident that a minimal amount of bail only is necessary” to ensure that Ip will appear in court, Semel said.

Family Weeps

Dressed in a cream suit with his head held low, Ip stood quietly as the judge rejected the attorney’s request. His wife, Mia, accompanied by Ip’s sister and brother, wept as Thompson ordered the $1-million bail asked for by Deputy Dist. Atty. Greg McClain.

Ip will be held in County Jail until his bail review and continued arraignment, set for Aug. 2.

Ip, part-owner of the China Inn restaurant in Pacific Beach, has lived in the San Diego area since 1981. The Spring Valley resident is the “pillar” of his family--his pregnant wife and two young daughters--Semel told the judge.

Later, the defense attorney said that Ip will plead not guilty at his arraignment next week, and that both the media and the judge at that time will hear the facts about “a well-respected businessman.”

“He came here voluntarily, and he surrendered. That probably tells you what kind of man he is. This is not a man of violence, in terms of how he’s lived his life,” Semel said, describing the $1-million bail as excessive.

But McClain said he was satisfied with the judge’s decision.

“I only know what the evidence shows, and the evidence at this point shows he shot a 15-year-old boy, and that concerns me,” he said.

Kurt Yokes, a Mission Bay High School freshman, was shot once in the chest late at night July 10 by a driver angry over a near-accident with the car in which Yokes was riding.

Yokes, Michael Endsley, 19, and an unidentified woman had gone ice-plant sledding at Kate Sessions Memorial Park in Pacific Beach and were taking Endsley home when the near-accident occurred.

The youths were turning east onto Grand Avenue at Bayard Street when a red Isuzu Trooper made an illegal turn and nearly crashed into them. After a brief exchange of gestures, Endsley shouted out his window, “I’ve seen better driving on a golf course,” according to police reports.

Endsley and the woman told police the driver did not answer and followed them to Endsley’s home in the 2600 block of Christopher Street. As Yokes and Endsley stepped out of their car to approach the Isuzu, the driver fired a shot at Yokes, police said.