2 Sisters Recovering After Car Plows Into Hockey Fans

Two sisters from Azusa were recovering in area hospitals Thursday after undergoing surgery for serious injuries suffered when an allegedly drunk driver plowed into a crowd of hockey fans outside the Forum in Inglewood on Wednesday night.

Lynn Marie Giorgi, 32, was listed in fair condition at UCLA Medical Center after undergoing surgery for a fractured pelvis and internal injuries. Sandy Giorgi, 31, was reported in satisfactory condition at Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital in Inglewood after surgery for a head injury.

Authorities said that formal charges are expected to be filed today against Karen Celia Burks, 36, of Inglewood, who was being held Thursday in lieu of $12,500 bail. The charges could include felony drunk driving and attempted murder, Inglewood police said.

Burks was westbound on 90th Street, near Prairie Street, when she allegedly drove her 1976 Buick Regal around several vehicles that had stopped for the crowd surging through a crosswalk, heading toward a parking lot after a game between the Los Angeles Kings and the New York Islanders.

Burks, who had not attended the hockey game, allegedly slammed into the fans at a speed estimated by witnesses as 20 to 30 m.p.h.

Lynn Giorgi was dragged 50 to 60 feet, police said, before the vehicle came to a halt and people in the crowd could lift it to free her. In addition to the Giorgis, six other fans suffered minor injuries in the crash. They were treated at area hospitals and released.

“We are very fortunate we didn’t have a lot more victims,” Inglewood Police Officer John Winters said. “She never attempted to stop, according to witnesses.”

Inglewood Police Sgt. Harold P. Moret said that Burks may have been unable to stop. “A preliminary check of the car by the officers investigating (showed) the car had no brakes,” he said.

Moret declined comment on the results of an alcohol test administered to Burks.

A spokeswoman for the Kings refused comment on the accident since it did not take place on Forum property. But she added that “we will definitely be sending flowers” to the victims.

Times staff writers Eugene Ahn and Alisa Samuels contributed to this story.