Police say driver in fatal crash led police pursuit because of open beer can

A man who led police on a chase that ended Wednesday when he allegedly struck and killed a pedestrian in Lincoln Heights apparently fled because he had an open beer in his car and feared he would be arrested on outstanding warrants, Los Angeles police said today.

Robert Palacios, 41, was arrested on suspicion of murder in the death of Demetrio Sosa, 61, who was walking in a crosswalk when he was hit.

Palacios, who pleaded guilty last month to possession of a controlled substance, was on probation under the state’s Proposition 36 program for substance abusers, said Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office. He also had a misdemeanor conviction in February for driving on a suspended license, she said.

Police said he was driving on a suspended license at the time of Wednesday’s incident.

Sosa was crossing the street near Broadway and Griffin Avenue about 2:20 p.m. when Palacios, pursued by LAPD officers, hit a minivan and spun out of control.

The pursuit began about 10 minutes earlier when officers from LAPD’s Northeast Division spotted Palacios near Figueroa Street and Avenue 52 in Highland Park and began following him because he was driving erratically, officials said.

Officers believed Palacios, who was driving a red convertible, was possibly under the influence or driving a stolen vehicle, said Sgt. Sanford Rosenberg, who was the watch commander in the Northeast Division station on Wednesday afternoon.

“He made some furtive moves and tried to flee from officers,” Rosenberg said.

At that point, officers began a pursuit, with lights and sirens, Rosenberg said. In addition, a police helicopter was called to follow Palacios’ car from the air. (On Wednesday, a police spokesman said there had been no official pursuit of Palacios, describing instead officers “tracking” him.)

Palacios, who had a female passenger in the car, drove south onto the Pasadena Freeway and then merged onto the Golden State Freeway, according to police. When he exited at Mission Road, the female passenger jumped out of the car. The female passenger was detained, but not arrested, said Sgt. Ruby Malachi, a department spokeswoman.

The passenger told police that Palacios fled because he had an open container of beer in his car and was worried that his vehicle would be impounded, Malachi said. The passenger also told police that Palacios was concerned that there might be a warrant for his arrest in another matter, she said.

After his passenger exited the car, Palacios made a series of abrupt turns, drove on the wrong side of the street and ran at least one red light, Malachi said.

He then hit a silver minivan while driving north on Griffin Avenue in the Lincoln Heights area, she said. The collision caused Palacios to spin out and strike Sosa, who died about an hour later after being taken to a hospital, Malachi said. The minivan occupants were not seriously injured.

Witnesses saw Palacios exit his vehicle and put his hands up, Malachi said. He was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder.

Breathalyzer and toxicology tests are not yet available, said Malachi, adding that arresting officers said Palacios did not seem to be under the influence. She said she was unaware of any outstanding warrants for him.

“He was taking the risk of having an open container and something to drink and thought he would risk it by fleeing,” Malachi said. “In the end, it cost him much more.”

 jia-rui.chong@latimes.com