Teen Killed in Los Angeles Carjacking Crash

"He never wronged anyone," the teen's father said

A teenager trying to stop his Nissan from being carjacked by clinging to the hood was thrown and killed as the thief crashed head-on into a Los Angeles building Sunday, police said.

The incident began about 3:50 p.m. when 19-year-old Oscar Perez was involved in a crash with another vehicle in an industrial area near Pico Boulevard and Esperanza Street in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles Police Department officials said.

As Perez was exchanging information with the other driver, someone got into his unattended Nissan Altima and began to drive off, police said. That's when Perez jumped on top of the car, which was driven about half a mile before it crashed into a business at 3544 E. Olympic Blvd.

Perez was pronounced dead at the scene, where grieving family members later lit candles.

Perez's father told reporters that his son was a good person who worked hard at a discount store to pay for his car.

"He never wronged anyone," the father, Lorenzo Perez, said in Spanish. "Whoever is responsible should pay."

A minor who was driving the car was critically injured and taken to the hospital, police said. That person was detained.

Police said they were investigating the incident as a homicide.

The car caught fire, but damage to the building was minimal.

Kate Larsen contributed to this report.

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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