Crime & Safety

Gang Member Gets 65 Years to Life in Fatal Crash

Ali Fateh led police on a high-speed chase after a racially charged shooting.

A gang member who led police on a high-speed pursuit that ended in a crash in Canoga Park that left one of his passengers dead was sentenced Wednesday to 65 years to life in state prison.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert J. Perry denied the defense's motion for a new trial for Ali Fateh, 20, of Winnetka.

Fateh was convicted Sept. 30 of second-degree murder for the May 23, 2010, death of Joel Gomez, who was killed after Fateh drove through a red light with the vehicle's headlights turned off, smashed into another car and careened into a row of parked autos.

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Fateh also was convicted of one count of evading a police officer causing death and two counts of attempted murder involving a racially charged attack on two black victims who were fired upon minutes earlier in Reseda by co-defendants Francisco Vasquez, 34, of Simi Valley, and Anthony Gonzalez, 19, of Canoga Park.

Vasquez and Gonzalez -- who were tried with Fateh -- were each convicted of two counts of attempted murder, with jurors finding true a hate crime allegation against them. Jurors did not find true a hate crime allegation against Fateh.

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Authorities said a racial slur was yelled before the two opened fire, with one victim struck in the leg and the other escaping injury.

Vasquez and Gonzalez have already been sentenced to 58 years to life.

-- City News Service


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