$50K Raised So Far For South Bay Teen Killed in Hit-And-Run Crash

TORRANCE, CA -- A GoFundMe campaign has so far raised $50,000 to assist the family of a 16-year-old Torrance boy killed in a crash that left his father seriously injured and another motorist facing a possible charge of vehicular manslaughter.

The crash occurred about 10 p.m. Tuesday at Crenshaw Boulevard and Crest Road when two vehicles went through a red light and crashed into a 2000 Toyota Sienna van driven by the teen's father, according to the Torrance Police Department.

Jesse Esphorst Jr. died at a hospital and Jesse Esphorst Sr., 47, was hospitalized in intensive care.

According to police, a 2004 Audi A6 and a 2014 Mercedes-Benz GLK350 were both northbound on Crenshaw Boulevard when the drivers failed to stop for the red light and crashed into the Esporsts' 2000 Toyota Sienna, which was turning left from southbound Crenshaw Boulevard to eastbound Crest Road.

"The initial investigations indicate the driver of the Audi was involved in a minor collision in Rancho Palos Verdes with the Mercedes-Benz and fled the scene ... and the driver of the Mercedes-Benz GLK350 was following the Audi when both vehicles ran the red signal for northbound Crenshaw Boulevard at Crest Road and both collided with the Toyota Sienna van," according to a police statement.

"After the collision, the Audi fled northbound on Crenshaw and the driver of the Mercedes GLK350 stayed at the scene," according to Torrance police. "The Audi was located a short time later near the scene unoccupied."

The driver of the Mercedes, 21-year old Tung Ming of Rancho Palos Verdes, was booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and released on $50,000 bail.

The teen was a shortstop on the South High School baseball team. Baseball coach Grady Sain told the Daily Breeze that Jesse and his father were on their way home from dinner at his grandmother's when the crash occurred.

"Just an incredibly special kid," Sain said. "Everybody would tell you that he was an incredibly talented baseball player and everybody would tell you that he was just an incredible person. He was so genuine, just so real, one of the most respected young men that I've ever been around."

On Wednesday morning, the baseball team gathered on the diamond around Jesse's shortstop position, and that afternoon, about 750 present and former students, coaches and faculty members filled the South High field in the teen's honor, the newspaper reported.

Donations to help the family may be made at https://www.gofundme.com/Jesse-Esphorst-Fund. The goal of the GoFundMe campaign is to raise $100,000 for the family.

Anyone with information on the traffic crash case was urged to call police at (310) 618-5557.

-- City News Service, photo courtesy of GoFundMe