Orange County man arrested in New Mexico for South LA street takeover death of nursing student
LOS ANGELES - An Orange County man has been arrested in connection with the death of Elyzza Guajaca, the nursing student killed when she was hit by a driver doing donuts during a street takeover in South Los Angeles on Christmas night, officials said Monday.
Guajaca was killed around 9 p.m. on Dec. 25, 2022. According to investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department, she was watching the street takeover while standing on the sidewalk near the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard and Florence Avenue. That's when the driver of a Chevrolet Camaro who was allegedly doing donuts lost control and veered into the crowd, hitting Guajaca and several others. Guajaca was taken to the hospital where she died from her injuries sustained in the crash. Several others were also injured.
One suspect, identified as 28-year-old Dante Chapple Young from Orange County, fled to Arizona and was ultimately arrested just outside Albuquerque, New Mexico, Det. Ryan Moreno announced during a press conference Tuesday.
He faces a murder charge in connection with Guajaca's death. His bail is set at $2.2 million.
The LAPD continues to search for two other suspects.
"We will find you. We will get you," Moreno said.
FULL PRESS CONFERENCE: LAPD announces arrest of suspect in deadly South LA street takeover
The Los Angeles Police Department held a press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 17 to announce the arrest of an Orange County man in New Mexico for the death of nursing student Elyzza Guajaca, who was killed during a street takeover in South LA Christmas night. Two suspects remain at large.
Guajaca's family was present during the public announcement of Chapel's arrest. Her mother thanked authorities for their continued hard work in the case.
"My daughter was a beautiful soul. She had a heart of gold and we will truly miss her. She was just a beautiful person all around..." she said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Nursing student hit, killed by driver doing donuts during LA street takeover
"My sister was an aunty to my beautiful girls who loved her so much," her brother Louie Guajaca wrote on a GoFundMe campaign. "She was a beautiful sister who loved big. She was a daughter who always wanted to be with around and have family time. She was the rock to our family."
Guajaca was in nursing school and worked at the Los Angeles International Airport. She fell in love with car culture after the first "Fast and Furious" movie came out, and loved events like the one she attended on the night she died.
Following the release of surveillance videos to the public showing several injured people sought in connection with the incident, authorities said no other victims have yet come forward.
The video in the media player above is from previous coverage of this story.