Crime & Safety
Man Charged With Murder In Fatal South Bay Crash
Zachary Thomas Alexander faces one count each of murder, fleeing a pursuing peace officer's vehicle causing death and driving a stolen car.
TORRANCE, CA -- Murder and other charges were filed Wednesday against a 22- year-old man who was out on bail in a stolen vehicle case and was allegedly trying to evade police in another stolen car when he was involved in a fatal crash in Torrance.
Zachary Thomas Alexander of San Pedro is scheduled to be arraigned March 22 at the Torrance courthouse on charges stemming from the crash Monday that killed Chunlei Wang of Torrance.
Alexander faces one count each of murder, fleeing a pursuing peace officer's vehicle causing death and driving or taking a vehicle without consent after a prior conviction.
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The criminal complaint also includes allegations that Alexander was free on bail in another case at the time of the Presidents' Day crash, and that he was convicted in two separate cases last year of driving or taking a vehicle without consent.
He also has convictions for possession for sale of methamphetamine in 2016, receiving stolen property exceeding $950 in 2014 and the sale or offer to sell or transportation of methamphetamine in 2013, according to the criminal complaint.
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Wang, 56, died at the scene of the collision, which occurred shortly before 2 a.m. Monday. About 15 minutes before the crash, Torrance police were notified that a silver Toyota Camry had been reported stolen in the area of Sepulveda Boulevard and Cabrillo Avenue.
Officers spotted the car pulling into a gas station at the intersection of Sepulveda Boulevard and Maple Avenue. Shortly afterward, the driver sped off northbound on Maple Avenue, at which time a pursuit began, said Torrance police Sgt. Ronald Harris.
The Toyota continued northbound and struck the victim's vehicle at the intersection of Maple and Carson Street, Harris said.
Alexander and his passenger, a 29-year-old San Pedro woman, were taken to an area hospital for treatment of what were described as minor injuries.
Alexander is being held in lieu of $2.2 million bail.
-- City News Service, photo courtesy of the Torrance Police Department
