This is a tragedy under any circumstances; but at least 2 Americans were spared this time!

Pair run down and killed by driver in Hollywood had 3 children

Pedro Cordova and Cecilia Vasquez were working odd jobs after coming from Mexico a year ago and leaving their children with grandparents, a relative says. A suspect has been charged with murder.

By Molly Hennessy-Fiske and Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
July 16, 2008

A man and woman killed by an alleged drunk driver on Hollywood Boulevard over the weekend left behind three children in Mexico, a relative said today.

The relative identified the victims as Pedro Davila Cordova, 40, and Cecilia Diaz Vasquez, 32.

Cordova and Vasquez were not married but considered themselves so, said Felix Diaz, Vasquez's brother. They had been together for 19 years, Diaz said.

The couple's children, a 17-year-old girl, 13-year-old boy and 8-year-old girl, were told of their parents' death in Veracruz, Mexico, where they have been living with Cordova's parents, Diaz said.

Diaz said the couple came to the United States from Veracruz a year ago and had been working odd jobs, including cleaning at local businesses. They were undocumented, didn't have a car and walked everywhere, Diaz said. Relatives are trying to have their bodies transported to Mexico but were facing bureaucratic difficulties because of documents, he said.


Sergio Delgado, also known as Sergio Delgado Valle, 29, has been charged with two counts of murder for allegedly striking and killing Cordova and Vasquez while driving drunk.

An officer said he saw Delgado driving on the wrong side of the road near the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday and began following him as Delgado accelerated and ignored traffic signals. While police pursued him, Delgado ran a red light and hit Cordova and Vasquez, police said.

Delgado's sister, who asked not to be named, said he was a graduate of John Marshall High School and that he joined the Marines at 19. Military records show he left active duty as lance corporal in August 2003 and had served as an administrative clerk.

While military records could not confirm it, his sister said he had served in Afghanistan.

Delgado married and had a son before he was discharged, said his sister, who asked not to be named when she was reached at her home in Los Angeles.

Delgado also faces two counts of felony gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and fleeing the scene after allegedly hitting and killing Cordova and Vasquez. His blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit, police said.

"He was so intoxicated when he was arrested he had to be hospitalized," said Cmdr. Debra McCarthy of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Delgado, who was convicted of driving under the influence in 2003 and of illegally driving in a bus lane in 2006, was being held on $1-million bail.

His sister said he was a changed man after he returned from serving overseas. He had nightly nightmares, drank and argued with his wife. He refused to discuss his problems while he was sober until his wife left last year, and he sought treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, his sister said.

He began taking medication and found a job in the San Fernando Valley at a mortgage brokerage firm. He recently moved closer to his job and was helping to care for his 5-year-old son, his sister said.

Delgado's sister said she had not spoken with her brother.

"He does look like a monster, but we know who he is," she said. "When he came back from the war, he wasn't the same."

LAPD Deputy Chief Terry Hara said an officer, whose name has not been released, saw Delgado driving on the wrong side of Highland Avenue near the Hollywood Bowl about 8:45 p.m. Sunday and began following him as he accelerated and ignored traffic signals. The officer suspected that the man was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

At the intersection of Yucca Street, a passenger jumped out of the vehicle and fled, and Delgado stared at the black-and-white cruiser, Hara said. The officer began a pursuit with lights and siren at Hollywood and Highland, Hara said.

The officer had been pursuing the suspect east on Hollywood Boulevard for about a minute when the driver ran a red light at Wilcox Avenue and hit the two pedestrians in the crosswalk, Hara said.

After the crash, Delgado drove for a block and tried to run away, but he was stopped by Hollywood Division officers, police said.
molly.hennessy-fiske

@latimes.com

richard.winton@latimes.com


http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me ... 1409.story