Man allegedly used drug before deadly crash that killed an 11-year-old and injured 2 others

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Thursday, November 1, 2018
Driver charged with killing girl, 11, at Boyle Heights taco stand
A man has been charged with killing an 11-year-old girl at a Boyle Heights taco stand while he was allegedly driving under the influence of nitrous oxide last year, prosecutors said.

LOS ANGELES, California -- A man has been charged with killing an 11-year-old girl at a Boyle Heights taco stand while he was allegedly driving under the influence of nitrous oxide last year, prosecutors announced Thursday.

Joe Louis Perez, 22, faces one felony count each of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence of a drug causing injury, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said in a statement.

Elektra Yepez, who lived in the neighborhood where the crash occurred, died after being rushed to a hospital. Her mother and two aunts also were injured in the crash in November 2017.

MORE: Mourners pay their respects to Elektra Yepez at makeshift memorial

An 11-year-old victim was identified and a driver was arrested after a fatal high-speed crash Friday night at a taco stand in Boyle Heights.

Four passengers were in his vehicle at the time of the fatal incident. None of them were seriously injured.

Perez is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom.

The defendant faces up to 13 years and eight months in prison if convicted as charged, according to the district attorney's office.

Prosecutors recommended his bail be set at $230,000.