Arraignment was postponed for Darryl Lee Williams and Michelle Washington, who both have prior felony arrest records. Their charges include two counts of murder with a gang enhancement and a gun possession charge. Two people riding in the back seat of the fleeing vehicle were not charged.
Williams was driving a silver SUV that lead Pasadena police on a brief chase Christmas night that ended in tragedy. Washington was a front seat passenger in the vehicle. The brief pursuit ended when Williams slammed the vehicle into a van. Tracey Ong Tan, 26, and an 11-year-old child in the van died as a result of the collision.
"Darryl Williams that's my son, that's my baby, that's heart," said Colyna Winbush, Williams mother. "He's crushed, he's not saying anything, two people lost their lives."
Winbush says in talking to her son since the tragedy, he claims if police had not pursued him in an unmarked vehicle, he would have pulled over immediately. Police say officers were attempting to pull the vehicle over after a traffic violation and the driver failed to stop.
"My son is a man, he is going to stand up and take responsibility for what he did, but the Pasadena Police Department has to stand up and take responsibility that they chased him down in a black unmarked car," Winbush said. "My son has a heart, my son is not a gang member."
Police say they are investigating whether a gun tossed out of the suspect's SUV could be connected to the murder of 49-year-old youth sports director and coach Victor McClinton. McClinton was shot to death just outside of his Pasadena home Christmas morning. Winbush argues the tragic incidents are not related.
"The police are trying to tie them to that up there," she said. "If you put your word to the street, and I'm quite sure the Pasadena police have snitches, we already know who did that. I don't even worry, the streets know who did that. It wasn't my son."
A vigil was held for McClinton on the steps of Pasadena City Hall on Thursday. Over 100 people were in attendance.