Couple killed in crash with a car being chased by police
A husband and wife returning home from a New Year’s Eve party were killed in a collision with a car that sped through a red light in South Los Angeles while being chased by police, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Officers began chasing a white Geo Prism after seeing it speed through a red light at Van Ness Avenue near Florence Avenue just before midnight Friday, Los Angeles Police Lt. John Romero said.
The Prism -- which police say was driven by Jorge Alberto Molina, 27, of Culver City -- sped through another red light at the intersection of Florence and Crenshaw Boulevard and hit an Infiniti going south on Crenshaw, causing the Infiniti to roll and strike a pole, police said.
The driver of the Infiniti, Demetria Dorsey, 50, and her passenger, husband Kelvin Dorsey, 54, both of Los Angeles, were killed in the crash, police said. They had been going home from a party.
Molina ran from the scene but collapsed nearby, police said. Authorities said he had been driving under the influence of alcohol and booked him on two counts of murder. He is being held on $1-million bail.
Romero said it was not clear whether Molina was aware that police were pursuing him.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call police at (323) 290-6063.
ALSO:
2 women found dead of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning
-- Christopher Goffard
EDITOR'S PICKS:
More innocent people killed because of a drunken idiot. They should absolutely throw the book at the driver like they did to Gallo. Sad, the couple killed were good hard working people just on there way home from a party.
Posted by: DLH | January 02, 2011 at 12:54 AM
The Dorseys' were special people and will be missed. The Postal family has a great void. My deepest sympathy to their immediate family
Posted by: terri | January 02, 2011 at 01:43 AM
Oh, Molina, Molina! I know about you, Molina!
Posted by: Charles Grandison Finney | January 02, 2011 at 02:03 AM
alcohol kills again
Posted by: DF2012 | January 02, 2011 at 07:07 AM
I did not know this couple personally but.. my in-laws knew the husband. It is so sad that anyone should die from a DUI. Especially on New Year's Eve... GOD bless the Dorsey Family!
Posted by: Sweetness | January 02, 2011 at 07:44 AM
I live down the street from the couple that were killed and they were wonderful people. I just don't understand why people feel it is just fine to go out and drink and drive. This seems to happen so often that we become immune to it all. I hope this clown and treated the same way the guy was done that killed the ANGEL Baseball player was treated at Trial. Throw him in jail for life and if it was me I would make him a crash dummy. Want a horrible situation they leave behind a 15 year old daughter. Makes me wonder why certain cultures continue this trend. Something has to be done.
Posted by: nubrontown | January 02, 2011 at 07:56 AM
Very sad for the family of the couple that was killed. I hope the family puts the blame where it belongs- ON MR.MOLINA. He was the one breaking the Law and SPEEDING through the RED LIGHT. I hope Mr. Molina gets a LOT of JAIL TIME for his reckless behavior. If he is in Jail, at least he can't kill anyone else! Lucky for the Police, he couldn't get away, but many do flee the scene and hide out to escape punishment for what they do. Then there are those who don't have Insurance, but are still Driving, they also run from the Scene. People need to remember to put the blame on the person committing the CRIME, NOT the POLICE who are trying to stop them. I will pray for the Dorsey family.
Posted by: jmpgodiva | January 02, 2011 at 07:57 AM
Such a tragedy and guilt on both the driver and officers part. Chasing someone knowing they are running red lights is criminal. They cause the worst that could happen into something that does happen. Police are killing the wrong people and enjoying it. There could be no other reason for their shootings and casual taking of citizens lives while showing not even average common sense.
There must be a movement to begin fighting back.
Posted by: Steve | January 02, 2011 at 09:28 AM
How could the intoxicated driver NOT be aware that he was being chased by the police? Unless the police did were not flashing their sirens, there's NO WAY he could not have been aware. And, I know I would notice if cars were chasing me! Give me a break! This sorry drunk needs to be punished to the full extent of the law.
Posted by: Splendor | January 02, 2011 at 09:45 AM
And why aren't the cops ALSO charged with murder... THEY ACCELLERATED THE MAYHEM!
Here's a bit of contributory reality check:
If a robbery is committed by one or more persons, and there is a getaway driver waiting in a car, and someone is murdered in the course of said robbery, ALL are equally charged with said murder(s).
The cops, under the presumption that they are highly trained well beyond the scope of the average citizen, should be held to a HIGHER standard of conduct AND responsibility.
These kind of "go gettum" killings are certainly nothing of a new surprise to law enforcement, the frequency is predictable! Therefore simply under the COLOR OF LAW they were just"doing their jobs" is NOT some license to kill... by any means!
Posted by: Pizzedoff | January 02, 2011 at 09:46 AM
I saw this on the news.
RIP to the Dorsey's
Very sad.
LAPD needs to take some responsibility here.
How is a car pursuit safe and protecting innocent people?
This happens all the time and yet it continues.
Posted by: Ken | January 02, 2011 at 09:56 AM
Condolences to the Dorsey family on the tragic deaths of their father and mother.
Posted by: RIP | January 02, 2011 at 11:58 AM
I would like to Express my Deepest Sympathy to the Dorsey Family From Sonya Threatt
Posted by: Sonya Threatt | January 02, 2011 at 02:36 PM
Here is the REAL reality check...if some fool is racing through the city and blowing red lights HE (not the cops) is a deadly threat to all of the citizens in the community. If some fool does decide to speed through town blowing red lights then the cops BETTER be chasing him and throwing him in jail! If the cops don't chase him I bet all of you would be screaming that the cops weren't doing their jobs.
The root of the problem lies within society, our legislators should have enacted laws years ago that would have mandatory 25 years to life for running from the cops, then the message would be sent. Instead they get arrested for "felony evading" and do one year in county jail. Until then, criminals will continue to run from the cops and put all of us in jeapordy.
God bless the Dorseys, sadly they will not be the last victims.
Posted by: u know | January 02, 2011 at 08:59 PM
My Prayers, and Condolence go out to the daughter, and family of the Dorseys; It's so sad to know that their child will have to start a new year, and a life without them.
These drunk driving idiots just don't learn, and we need to get harder on them to make a point, because we're seeing this over, and over again.
I'm sure he'll spend the rest of his life in prison, but compared to what this couples (Dorsey's) child will have to endure for the rest of her life without her parents to attend her graduation from high school, and college, or to see her get married, or her children is so unfair, and it just makes me so, so angry.
To the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Dorsey,
I pray that through prayer God will give you the strength you will need to endure life, and all it will have for you through the horrific pain of losing your parents, may God bless you tremendously and use you as a tool to help others, I think this would be your peace of mind. God Bless...
Posted by: Just Say'n | January 03, 2011 at 07:56 AM
Why do they conduct these car chases ??
For the news cameras they have the eye in the sky and the lic ## why not play it smart let the chump think they got away and then get them when they reach there destination ?
No risk to the public and no risk for the officers involved !
Posted by: shadowpark | January 03, 2011 at 08:33 AM
To the dorsey,s I'm sorry for your lost. I lived down the street from these people growing up these were good loving people. I play with there kids growing up. It hurts and I will keep the dorsey's in my prayers and they will be miss.
Posted by: russell sander | January 03, 2011 at 10:02 AM
New Year and same old tragedies. My husband and I went out NYE around 8 p.m. to visit friends. We took the bus. Taxis were everywhere. There was absolutely no reason to drink & drive, except "tradition." Obviously, it will take force to get people out of their cars and that is the only way we will see an end to these tragic, needless deaths.
Posted by: CD | January 03, 2011 at 10:32 AM
Driving while intoxicated.
Breaking traffic laws while driving while intoxicated.
Killing 2 innocent people while breaking traffic laws while driving intoxicated.
I hope death finds this drunk driver, slowly and painfully.
Kudos to the police; he was running red lights before and after being chased, so I congratulate them on catching him. I hope they make him pay with his life.
Posted by: xalm | January 03, 2011 at 12:14 PM
@Steve, Pizzedoff & Ken
Just curious, are there any other laws you want the police to ignore when they see them being broken? One of you suggested that they back off, get the license plate number and make the arrest later. My question to you is; How can you be sure the car is registered to the person that is driving it when they are committing the crime? If not, how would the police force the registered owner to tell them who was driving the car when the driver was committing the crime ?
The laws of this state do require Police Officers to be held to a higher standard when engaged in pursuits and the city of Los Angeles recently put cameras in all the Police cars to make sure tey are on their P's & Q's. In addition, the Federal Government made sure of that when they forced the L.A.P.D. to enter into a Conscent Decree (look it up,the L.A. Times has been reporting on it for the last six years), and they have a Federal Judge that monitors them and ensures the L.A.P.D. is in compliance.
The Police pull over drunks without anything like this happening 90% of the time with no one being killed. If the Officers had turned a blind eye to this idiot after he had already ran one red light (that we know of) how can we say that this tragedy would not have happened. A few years back, a similar drunk idiot killed at least four people at the intersection of Florence Ave and Crenshaw Bl in much the same manner. He was speeding,ran a red light and plowed into a minin-van, killing the family inside. So should the police be held accountable for that because they were not there to stop the family from being killed?
Posted by: RDUB | January 03, 2011 at 12:35 PM
Two law abiding, tax paying citizens replaced by one criminal who will have to be housed, fed and provided a lawyer. It wont be long before those who pay the bills will be extinct. I wonder if he's here illegally. Will probably win a lawsuit against the city for good measure.
Posted by: Ckazv | January 03, 2011 at 01:04 PM
Is this another illegal alien committing a crime? Would it surprise anyone?
Posted by: teri | January 03, 2011 at 07:00 PM
Me and my friends were actually in the car next to the black infinity when it got hit. We were sitting at the green light waiting to turn left but by the grace of God we were still behind the line while waiting for oncoming traffic and the car that ran that red light came out of nowhere so fast but the car on the right side of us were going thru the green light but because of a simple IDIOT that chose to get behind the wheel smacked dead into those people. They never had a chance!!! The guy didnt even hit the brakes it was full-force impact on the driver side.. How is it that the "drunks" are able to walk away from stuff like that??? Mr. Molina should never see day-light again!!! Drinking and driving is a choice... So to the family of the deceased I PRAY FOR YOU!!! I witnessed something that was an eye-opener and scared the hell out of me!!
Posted by: rachel cravens | January 03, 2011 at 11:01 PM
How can you people consider the police wrong in this situation? They were chasing this speeder/red light blower to try to AVOID a situation where he could strike another car. It's not about income when people's lives are at stake. The people that are drinking and driving are at fault, not the cops. The police are just doing their jobs! Police SAVE lives every single day by stopping dangerous criminals from hurting other innocent people yet they never get credit for that, they only get noticed when SOMETHING NEGATIVE happens. If this guy was running red lights already, it's actually more safe to have a cop chasing him because you'd notice the lights/sound and hopefully stop and get out of the way.
WHO STRUCK THE INNOCENT PEOPLE'S CAR?! THE POLICE?! NO!!! THE DRUNKEN IDIOT. GET OVER YOURSELF. THE POLICE WOULD SAVE YOUR LIFE IN A HEARTBEAT IF THE OPPORTUNITY CAME UP AND YOU'RE COMPLAINING THAT THEY ARE THE ONES HURTING US!
And I think everyone's forgetting the real issue, rest in peace to the Dorsey's. I do not know them but have lost friends due to drunk drivers and I feel their family and friends' pain.
Posted by: Jim | January 09, 2011 at 12:31 PM