Texas Man Pleads Not Guilty in Shooting Death of Girl at Hollywood Street Race
Texas Man Pleads Not Guilty in Shooting Death of Girl at Hollywood Street Race
by Contributing Editor
A Texas man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges stemming from a shooting that erupted following an illegal street race in Hollywood, killing a 17-year-old girl.
Ramon Roque Monreal, 33, of El Paso, was charged Tuesday with one count each of murder and attempted murder, along with gun and great bodily injury allegations. If convicted as charged, he faces a maximum sentence of 80 years to life in prison.
An Aug. 31 preliminary hearing was scheduled for Monreal, who remains in custody in lieu of $5 million bail, according to jail records.
Monreal is accused of pulling out a gun during a brawl that erupted early Sunday morning at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. Some of the fight, which broke out shortly after midnight, was caught on cell phone video, and the shots can be heard ringing out as the combatants grappled.
Prosecutors allege that Monreal fired multiple shots when people in the crowd attempted to disarm him.
At least one of the bullets struck 17-year-old Alejandra “Ale” Estrada of Huntington Park, who died at the scene.
Officer Kevin Snare of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Operations Center said there had been a street race in the area. A large group of people gathered at the popular Hollywood intersection after the race, leading to the fight.
According to reports from the scene, another man was also shot but suffered only minor injuries, and took himself to a hospital, though prosecutors allege a victim other than Estrada suffered great bodily injury.
Monreal was in possession of a firearm when he was taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies around 3:45 a.m. Sunday in the area of 223rd and Figueroa streets, according to the LAPD.
Friends of the teen killed in the shooting gathered at the scene throughout the day Sunday, leaving candles and photos and writing messages.
On a GoFundMe page, which had raised more than $31,000 as of late Wednesday afternoon, the girl was described as “one of a kind and the life of the party.”
“Yesterday around midnight, Ale was caught in crossfire at a car show and was shot and killed instantly,” according to the page. “This hit everybody by surprise. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time and unfortunately it cost her her life. She will forever live in our hearts.”
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All credit goes to Contributing Editor
Originally published on https://mynewsla.com
