Police arrest driver in Boyle Heights crash that killed 11-year-old girl by taco stand

Police arrested a motorist who slammed his Mustang into two parked cars in Boyle Heights, knocking one of the vehicles onto the sidewalk and killing an 11-year-old girl who was standing in front of a taco stand, authorities said Saturday.

Jose Louis Perez was booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, while a juvenile in the car with him was arrested on suspicion of possessing nitrous oxide, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The crash occurred about 7 p.m. Friday. Perez was heading west on Whittier Boulevard near Marietta Street when he crossed into eastbound lanes and crashed into the two parked cars, police said.

The impact thrust one of the cars onto the sidewalk, where it struck four pedestrians.

All four were taken to a hospital for treatment. One victim, an 11-year-old girl whom police identified as Elektra Yepez, died of her injuries. The other three were expected to survive.

Authorities said speed was a factor in the incident, and the department’s street-racing task force was investigating the circumstances.

Anyone with information on the crash can call traffic detectives at (213) 833-3713.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AleneTchek