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Windsor Hills crash: Vigil honors victims of horrific crash on Slauson and La Brea

WINDSOR HILLS, Calif. (KABC) — A somber vigil was held Friday evening to honor the victims of a multi-vehicle crash in Windsor Hills that killed six people, including a pregnant woman who died along with her young son.

Asherey Ryan was on her way to a prenatal doctor’s appointment at the time of the fiery collision on Thursday, her sister Seana Kerr told ABC7. Ryan’s 11-month-old son Alonzo Quintero and her boyfriend, Reynold Lester, were also among the deceased victims.

“Everybody’s heartbroken,” Kerr said in an interview. “She literally walked out the door, because we all live together, and she said, ‘Ok, I love y’all. I’m going to my doctor’s appointment to check up on the baby.’ We asked, ‘Oh, why don’t you leave our nephew here?’ She said, ‘No, I want to take my son for a ride.’ So, knowing that really, really broke our hearts.”

Lester’s family told ABC7 that the 24-year-old security guard was the father of the unborn child, who was listed as “baby boy Ryan” in online coroner’s records.

Two other women and a man were also killed but their names weren’t made public Friday.

Shortly after 1:30 pm Thursday, a Mercedes-Benz coupe ran a red light at high speed and caused the crash involving as many as six cars near a gas station at the intersection of Slauson and La Brea avenues, according to the California Highway Patrol .

READ ALSO | Woman was heading to prenatal checkup with infant son, boyfriend before deadly Windsor Hills crash

The California Highway Patrol said 37-year-old Nicole Lorraine Linton, who was injured in the collision, was taken into custody at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

Prosecutors said they could receive the case as early as next Monday and will then decide whether to file criminal charges.

“I drove to the scene,” Kerr said. “I ran past the police officers just because I wanted to feel her energy from her one more time. Yesterday, I truly lost it. My family was broken yesterday, and we’re still broken.”

Alonzo would have turned one-year-old on Aug. 17, his family said.

Meanwhile, Ryan’s mother said family members have set up a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses.

Ryan was a stay-at-home mother and a student, according to her family.

WATCH | Drivers left in shock after violent Windsor Hills crash kills 6: ‘It could’ve been me’

The Mercedes-Benz coupe never appeared to brake as it flew through the intersection and CHP Officer Franco Pepi said detectives are looking into whether Linton had a medical episode or was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Several people were flung from the cars and two vehicles caught fire. News video from the scene showed the charred and mangled cars, as well as a child’s car seat among the debris covering the street.

Surveillance video showed the Mercedes careening through an intersection, striking at least two cars that exploded in flames and were sent hurtling onto a sidewalk, winding up against the gas station’s corner sign. A fiery streak led to one car. One vehicle was torn in half.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office released the following statement Friday afternoon:

“My heart goes out to the families that lost loved ones in the horrific car collision that occurred yesterday in Windsor Hills. This incredible tragedy has sent shockwaves throughout Los Angeles and the loss of so many precious lives will have a lasting impact on those that are closest to them.Our office is in close contact with the lead law enforcement agency investigating. A prosecutor has already been assigned and will be working with law enforcement throughout the weekend. We will provide updates as more information becomes available. The case could be presented to us as early as Monday.”

Meanwhile, two LA-based groups that advocate for safer streets around the city are hosting a vigil on Sunday to honor the lives of the victims.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2022 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.

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Windsor Hills crash: Vigil honors victims of horrific Windsor Hills crash

WINDSOR HILLS, Calif. (KABC) — A somber vigil was held Friday evening to honor the victims of a multi-vehicle crash in Windsor Hills that killed six people, including a pregnant woman who died along with her young son.

Asherey Ryan was on her way to a prenatal doctor’s appointment at the time of the fiery collision on Thursday, her sister Sha’seana Kerr told ABC7. Ryan’s 11-month-old son Alonzo Quintero and her boyfriend, Reynold Lester, were also among the deceased victims.

“Everybody’s heartbroken,” Kerr said in an interview. “She literally walked out the door, because we all live together, and she said, ‘Ok, I love y’all. I’m going to my doctor’s appointment to check up on the baby.’ We asked, ‘Oh, why don’t you leave our nephew here?’ She said, ‘No, I want to take my son for a ride.’ So, knowing that really, really broke our hearts.”

Lester’s family told ABC7 that the 24-year-old security guard was the father of the unborn child, who was listed as “baby boy Ryan” in online coroner’s records.

Two other women and a man were also killed but their names weren’t made public Friday.

Shortly after 1:30 pm Thursday, a Mercedes-Benz coupe ran a red light at high speed and caused the crash involving as many as six cars near a gas station at the intersection of Slauson and La Brea avenues, according to the California Highway Patrol .

The California Highway Patrol said 37-year-old Nicole Lorraine Linton, who was injured in the collision, was taken into custody at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

Prosecutors said they could receive the case as early as next Monday and will then decide whether to file criminal charges.

READ ALSO | Woman was heading to prenatal checkup with infant son, boyfriend before deadly Windsor Hills crash

“I drove to the scene,” Kerr said. “I ran past the police officers just because I wanted to feel her energy from her one more time. Yesterday, I truly lost it. My family was broken yesterday, and we’re still broken.”

Alonzo would have turned one-year-old on Aug. 17, his family said.

Meanwhile, Ryan’s mother said family members have set up a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses.

Ryan was a stay-at-home mother and a student, according to her family.

WATCH | Drivers left in shock after violent Windsor Hills crash kills 6: ‘It could’ve been me’

The Mercedes-Benz coupe never appeared to brake as it flew through the intersection and CHP Officer Franco Pepi said detectives are looking into whether Linton had a medical episode or was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Several people were flung from the cars and two vehicles caught fire. News video from the scene showed the charred and mangled cars, as well as a child’s car seat among the debris covering the street.

Surveillance video showed the Mercedes careening through an intersection, striking at least two cars that exploded in flames and were sent hurtling onto a sidewalk, winding up against the gas station’s corner sign. A fiery streak led to one car. One vehicle was torn in half.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office released the following statement Friday afternoon:

“My heart goes out to the families that lost loved ones in the horrific car collision that occurred yesterday in Windsor Hills. This incredible tragedy has sent shockwaves throughout Los Angeles and the loss of so many precious lives will have a lasting impact on those that are closest to them.Our office is in close contact with the lead law enforcement agency investigating. A prosecutor has already been assigned and will be working with law enforcement throughout the weekend. We will provide updates as more information becomes available. The case could be presented to us as early as Monday.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2022 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.

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US

Las Vegas police arrest man in connection to fatal Mirage hotel room shooting

LAS VEGAS — A 54-year-old man was identified Friday as the suspect arrested in the killing of one person and wounding of two others during a family argument in a Las Vegas Strip hotel room.

Billy Hemsley was arrested within six hours of the 8:30 pm Thursday shooting at The Mirage resort, Capt. Dori Koren and the department said.

A department statement said detectives located and apprehended Hemsley in a southeast Las Vegas neighborhood and he was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.

It was not immediately clear if Hemsley had an attorney who could speak for him ahead of an initial court appearance scheduled for Saturday.

The shooting prompted a lockdown for more than two hours after tourists watched police rush into the iconic casino and hotel on Las Vegas Boulevard.

The injured women were taken to a hospital. No details were disclosed about their conditions and they were not identified.

Koren, head of the department homicide division, told reporters that the shooter had a Las Vegas address and the incident did not pose a wider threat to the public.

A police statement on Friday said it stemmed from an argument “with several family members” in an eighth-floor room.

An official with MGM Resorts International, operator of The Mirage, did not immediately respond to Friday messages.

The Polynesian-themed property, with a fire-spewing volcano and more than 3,000 rooms, opened in November 1989. The property is credited with helping transform Las Vegas from a gambling hub into a luxury resort destination with international appeal.

MGM Resorts announced plans last December to sell operations of The Mirage for nearly $1.1 billion to Hard Rock International, owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The new operator plans to replace it with a huge guitar-shaped hotel. The sale is pending regulatory approval.

Copyright © 2022 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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Categories
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Windsor Hills crash: Pregnant woman, unborn child IDed by coroner as 2 of 6 victims killed in fiery Windsor Hills pileup

WINDSOR HILLS, Calif. (KABC) — Authorities on Friday identified a pregnant woman and her unborn child as two of the six people who were killed in a fiery crash after a speeding car ran a red light and plowed into cars in a crowded intersection of Windsor Hills.

Los Angeles County coroner’s officials said Asherey Ryan and her unborn son died in the collision.

Shortly after 1:30 pm, a Mercedes-Benz sedan caused a crash involving as many as six cars near a gas station in, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Several people were ejected from the cars and two vehicles caught fire. News video from the scene showed the charred and mangled cars, as well as a child’s car seat among the debris covering the street.

Surveillance showed the Mercedes careening through an intersection, striking at least two cars that exploded in flames and were sent hurtling onto a sidewalk, winding up against the gas station’s corner sign. A fiery streak led to one car. One vehicle was sheared in half.

“It looked like the whole intersection from corner to corner was on fire,” said witness Harper Washington. “A lot of sparks and electricity. I was under the impression that, really at first I thought they dropped a bomb on us. I thought another world war had started. Then I realized it was a car into the sign.”

“Once the fire went away and the booming left, I realized it was two cars there. You could see the people on fire and that’s just sad. I really pray for the people and the community.”

Bystanders tried to help but had trouble dealing with the flames.

Witness Alfonso Word choked up as he described seeing the pregnant woman and a child after the crash.

“It hurts. It does,” Word said. “Because I have a grandson. I know people that have children. For a mother to be pregnant… that child never had a chance.”

Copyright © 2022 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.

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Categories
Australia

Got a question about the Somerton Man breakthrough? Ask the experts in our live Q&A blog and catch up on the mysterious case

The case of the Somerton Man has baffled detectives and amateur sleuths for decades.

Now it’s your chance to ask the experts just how one of Australia’s most enduring mysteries has been solved — and why the story has attracted so much attention.

University of Adelaide professor Derek Abbottwho spent decades researching the case and helped to uncover the man’s identity, will join us from 12pm (AEST) to tackle all your curly questions.

Colleen Fitzpatricka renowned forensic genealogist who lent her expertise to the case, and ABC journalist and host of Radio National podcast The Somerton Man Mystery, Fiona Ellis Joneshave also slow their time to respond to your top questions from our audience call-out.

The live feed will begin at midday but, in the meantime, here’s what you need to know about the case:

A man is found dead on the beach — but no-one knows who he is

The Somerton Man's face mold and a digital image of the man it was taken from
Digital illustrator Daniel Voshart created an image of the Somerton Man based on the face mold created after he was found dead.(Supplied: Daniel Voshart)

On December 1, 1948, a man’s body was found slumped against a wall under the esplanade at Somerton Beach in Adelaide. But there were few clues to determine his identity.

He had a half-smoked cigarette on his lapel and a few personal items in his possession: two combs, a box of matches, a used bus ticket to the area, an unused second-class train ticket, a packet of chewing gum and cigarettes .

A post-mortem revealed the man had a “stinkingly” enlarged spleen and internal bleeding in the stomach and liver, and it was concluded the death resulted from poison.

Then the paper was found: ‘Tamam Shud’

In the months following the mystery man’s death, the case took a strange turn.

A suitcase believed to belong to him was found at Adelaide Railway Station. It contained an assortment of his belongings including a shaving brush, a knife in a sheath and boot polish.

Somerton Man
The personal items found inside a suitcase believed to belong to the mysterious Somerton Man.(Supplied)

Some of his clothes had the tags removed and others, including his tie, had T Keane printed on them.

Then, a tiny rolled-up piece of paper inscribed with the words “Tamam Shud” was found hidden deep in the fob pocket of the man’s trousers.

The scrap of paper found in the Somerton Man's fob pocket.
The scrap of paper found in the Somerton Man’s fob pocket with the Persian words “Tamam Shud”.(Supplied: Professor Derek Abbott)

The torn paper was later traced back to a book of ancient Persian poetry, the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, which had been left in the back seat of a car near where the body was found.

The words roughly translate to “the end” or “the finish”, and the poems touch on themes including the need to live life to the fullest and having no regrets when it ends.

Was the Somerton Man a spy?

In July 1949, a copy of The Rubaiyat with the page containing “Tamam Shud” torn out was handed in to police.

The man who contacted the authorities said he found it in the back of his car in November 1948 — a month before the man’s body was discovered.

A black and white photo of a book with a section torn out.
A scrap of paper which read Tamam Shud was torn from the final page of copy of Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyám, authored by 12th-century poet, Omar Khayyám.(Supplied: Carolyn Billsborrow )

The book contained a sequence of letters and a couple of telephone numbers, but they didn’t lead investigators any closer to uncovering the Somerton Man’s identity.

The strange sequence and the fact labels had been removed from the man’s clothes fueled speculation he might have been a spy.

A man in white overalls walks past gravestones as excavation crews work in the background
Forensic science and excavation crews were onsite to assist with the Somerton Man’s exhumation.(ABC News: Michael Clements)

ABC Radio Adelaide’s Daniel Keane spoke to University of Adelaide professor Derek Abbott last month, prior to the Somerton Man’s identity being uncovered, about the theories.

“I don’t think there’s compelling evidence — just these scattered circumstantial things that can be explained in different ways,” Professor Abbott said.

Last week, after decades of searching for answers, Professor Abbott and forensic genealogist Colleen Fitzpatrick made a breakthrough.

The previously unidentified man was named as Melbourne electrical engineer Carl “Charles” Webb — far from the answer some were expecting.

live updates

By Bridget Judd

You’re a little early, but check back at 12:00pm (AEST)

Over the next couple of hours, we’ll put your questions to Derek Abbottwho helped uncover the Somerton Man’s identity.

You can make a submission by clicking the blue ‘leave a comment’ button above.

The live stream will begin at 12:00 p.m. (AEST)so come and join the conversation then!

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