An alleged gang member who was on probation for attempted murder killed two sisters and their friend when he crashed into their Uber at up to 100mph over the weekend, police said Wednesday.
Gregory Black, 31, was charged with three counts of gross vehicular manslaughter for the deaths of sisters Juvelyn Arroyo and Veronica Amezola, both 23, and their friend Kimberly Izquierdo, 27.
Los Angeles police investigators said Black is a gang member with a long criminal rap sheet and was on probation for attempted murder when he T-boned the women’s Uber as they headed home from a concert early Saturday morning.
Black was speeding in a white Mercedes-Benz and blasted through multiple red lights before he crashed into the Uber going up to 100 mph in a 35 mph zone, the LAPD said.
The Uber sedan spun around five times before stopping at a curb, according to police. The Uber driver and a passenger who was sitting in the front seat were injured and are recovering, but the sisters and their friend were sitting in the back seat and did not survive.
All three women died at the scene.
The fatal crash happened near Century Boulevard and Vermont Avenue just south of downtown Los Angeles.
“It’s obvious when you see these videos, that it’s vehicular homicide all the way,” LAPD Detective Ryan Moreno said. “It looked like a bomb went off.”
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Black also survived with minor injuries, including a fractured ankle.
Moreno’s “pretty checkered past” includes three felony convictions, Moreno said. Authorities also found a loaded gun in his car.
“Mr. Black is going to prison,” Moreno said. “He has an extensive criminal history. I’m 100% confident he’s going to go to prison. This man should never come out and see the light of day.”
Investigators are still looking into whether drugs or alcohol were involved in the crash.
“It’s almost worse that there isn’t any kind of alcohol or DUI,” Moreno said. “You’re actually sober and you’re actually driving like that sober? Who’s going to get behind the well and drive 100 mph and run red lights?”
Black was arrested and is currently being held at the Los Angeles County jail on a $4 million bond.
He faces from 20 years to life in prison for each of the three gross vehicular manslaughter charges. He is set to appear in court on September 5.
The deceased women’s families said the three were heading home from a concert when the fatal accident happened.
In recent years, critics have blamed Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon for what they say are soft on crime policies that allow criminals to walk free despite serious criminal histories.
Last summer, two cops in the Los Angeles area were gunned down by an alleged gang member who was on probation for an illegal gun charge. The gunman had been convicted previously of burglary and car theft and charged with possessing methamphetamine. He had also allegedly violated his probation but had not been arrested before the fatal cop shooting occurred.