Police in Pasadena have made an arrest in the fatal crash that killed two people on Wednesday night. The victims have also been identified.
The violent two-vehicle collision happened at around 9:15 p.m. near the intersection of North Raymond Avenue and East Penn Street. Authorities say the suspects, a driver and passenger, were driving a stolen Lincoln Navigator when they ran through a stop sign and slammed into a Nissan Versa carrying two people.
After the crash, both occupants of the Navigator fled on foot.
The driver of the Nissan Versa was identified as Antonio Mendoza-Hernandez, a 63-year-old resident from Los Angeles, who died at the scene. The passenger of the Nissan Versa was identified as Veralice Yanira Membreno Orellana, a 33-year-old resident from Altadena who later died at a local hospital.
Police have identified the driver as Jeffrey Butler, 30, from Altadena. He was arrested outside his home on Thursday and faces charges of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and hit and run, resulting in death, authorities said.
Police didn’t announce if the passenger who was also in the car had been arrested.
Detectives with Pasadena’s Traffic Section will present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office on Oct. 23.
Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call the Pasadena Police at (626) 744-4241 or can submit information anonymously by contacting “Crime Stoppers” at (800) 222-TIPS (8477), through the “P3 Tips” app or by visiting the Crime Stoppers website.
