Local News in Brief : Honors Student Killed

A 14-year-old honors student at Belmont High School near downtown Los Angeles was killed on the way to classes Monday morning when she was hit by one hit-and-run motorist and run over by another, police said.

Khanh Ngo, 14, was crossing Beverly Boulevard at Bonnie Brae Street at 7:15 a.m. when she was struck by one eastbound auto whose driver then left the scene, Police Detective Arvin Turner said. Knocked to the ground, she was then run over by a second motorist who also left the scene, he said.

The ninth grader, who arrived in Los Angeles three years ago from her native Vietnam, was pronounced dead at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles. The girl’s older sister, who was walking with her, was not injured in the mishap. But she was in a state of shock and could not provide details of the accident, Turner said.

Although witnesses gave conflicting information about the first auto, investigators tracked down and arrested the alleged driver of the second auto, Roberto Alcala, 25, of Los Angeles, on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, officers said. Turner said investigators were seeking information from the witnesses at the scene or anyone else who might have information about the first auto. Turner said investigators can be reached at Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Traffic Division at 485-3111.