Manslaughter Arrests Follow Fatal Pileup

Two men whose alleged street racing caused a seven-car pileup in Anaheim that killed a Garden Grove woman last month have been arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, officials said Thursday.

Gerardo Cruz-Perez, 20, and Jose Luis Hernandez-Perez, 19, both of Stanton, also face charges of exhibition of speed, reckless driving and driving without a license.

Cruz-Perez was being held at Orange County Jail, bail pending. Hernandez-Perez was being held at the Theo Lacy Branch Jail in lieu of $150,000 bail.

“We’ve determined that Mr. Cruz-Perez and Mr. Hernandez-Perez caused the collisions as a result of their illegal racing activity,” said Sgt. Rick Martinez, Anaheim Police spokesman.

The men did not know each other and encountered each other driving side by side, north on Beach Boulevard near Ball Road on June 21, Martinez said.

They were racing at about 75 mph when Cruz-Perez lost control of his pickup, crossed the center divider and struck oncoming traffic, Martinez said.

The pickup struck two vehicles, including the one driven by Wanda Kile, 67. Another vehicle in the pileup also struck Kile’s.

Kile died at UCI Medical Center of massive trauma, police said. A woman and a child in another car were hospitalized with moderate injuries. Hernandez-Perez fled the scene, police said, but witnesses gave them his license plate number. He was arrested Tuesday at his home. Cruz-Perez was arrested at his home Wednesday.

Cruz-Perez had stayed at the scene but was not arrested until police further investigated.

Police said drugs and alcohol were not factors in the crash.