Rancho Palos Verdes Man Found Guilty In Crash That Killed Teen

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA — A South Bay man was found guilty of killing another driver after he and another driver both allegedly ran a red light in Torrance three years ago, killing a teenager and seriously injuring his father, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced Friday.

Tung Ming, 24, of Rancho Palos Verdes, and Los Angeles resident Darryl Leander Hicks Jr., 31, were both found guilty of one felony count each of vehicular manslaughter and reckless driving on a highway causing injuries and death.

On March 7, 2017, Hicks crashed into Ming and then fled the scene near Crenshaw Boulevard and Silver Spur Road, the press release said. Ming began chasing Hicks, and both defendants ran a red light near Crenshaw Boulevard and Crest Road, Deputy District Attorney Ryan Gould said.

Both defendants ended up crashing into a van, killing 16-year-old Jesse E. Esphorst, and seriously injuring his father, who was driving the van, the prosecutor said. Hicks then also fled the scene of the fatal crash.

Hicks also was found guilty of one felony count each of hit-and-run driving resulting in death or serious injury to another person and hit-and-run driving resulting in injury to another person, the prosecutor said.

Ming faces six years in prison and Hicks faces 12 years in state prison.

The case was investigated by the Torrance Police Department.

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