Downtown L.A.: Man, 25, is shot while driving a Bentley

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Jose Macias, a 25-year-old Latino man, was shot several times early Friday, Dec. 12, 2008, while driving a silver Bentley south on the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles, authorities said.

He was discovered after passersby reported hearing shots fired about 3:20 a.m.

California Highway Patrol officers arriving at the scene near Mission Road found the two-door 2005 Bentley Continental GT crashed into a highway median and Macias unresponsive in the car. The vehicle was riddled with 10 bullet holes from one or more gunmen, police said.

Macias was taken to a hospital where he died two days later.

‘This is a real whodunit,’ Lt. Paul Vernon, commanding officer of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Area Detective Division, said in a news release. ‘We’ll have to look into a number of things like the owner of the car and who the driver was to better understand what happened. What we really need is for someone to come forward with information.’

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Central Area detectives at (213) 972-1203 or (877) 527-3247 after normal business hours.

—Anthony Pesce

Update: The Times’ Paul Pringle and Richard Winton reported July 3 that court records indicated police are investigating whether Macias’ predawn shooting was tied to the Mexican dope trade. Michael Angel Aleman, a 34-year old Latino, was arrested June 30 and has been charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and shooting into an occupied vehicle. His arrest affidavit describes him as a former gang member.

Read more: Bentley driver’s slaying in L.A. might have cartel link