Police say one car and one driver are linked to collisions in October and January that killed three people and injured three others.
LONG BEACH, CA — A 24-year-old woman turned herself in this week after detectives said forensic evidence and video tied her to two separate crashes that killed three people in Long Beach, one on Oct. 6 and another on Jan. 4 at a downtown intersection.
Police identified the driver as Ahkeyajahnique Owens of Long Beach. Investigators say the same BMW sedan appears in both collisions: an October crash that killed a bicyclist on East Fourth Street, and a high-speed, three-vehicle crash near Sixth Street and Atlantic Avenue on Sunday night that killed two people and injured three others. Owens was booked on a warrant alleging felony vehicular manslaughter in the October case; detectives said they will present the January case to prosecutors next week. The department clarified that only the January collision was a hit-and-run. The arrests and court filings have focused new attention on traffic safety and accountability in a city that recorded dozens of roadway deaths last year.
The Jan. 4 crash happened around 10:14 p.m. at Sixth Street and Atlantic Avenue, where investigators say an orange 2021 BMW 330i ran a red light while eastbound on Sixth. The BMW struck a southbound gray 2022 Nissan Altima in the intersection, then continued and hit a northbound black 2017 Kia Soul. When officers arrived, they found the Nissan’s rear passengers — 24-year-old Bobbi Smith of Buena Park and 21-year-old Gilberto Lopez of Midway City — lying unresponsive on the roadway and sidewalk. Officers and firefighters attempted aid, but both were pronounced dead at the scene. Three others — the Kia’s driver and the Nissan’s driver and front passenger — were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said. Owens allegedly left the scene after the second impact. Prosecutors later told a judge they believe the BMW was traveling well over 100 mph and running red lights moments before the crash, based on video and witness statements.
Police said they used forensic evidence, surveillance video and witness accounts to identify a single driver and vehicle in both cases. According to statements in court, Owens came to police headquarters two days after the Jan. 4 wreck; prosecutors said she initially reported the BMW stolen, while her public defender said she arrived to surrender on the outstanding warrant in the earlier case. In the October collision, investigators say 35-year-old Raul Augustin Gallopa was riding east on Fourth Street about 7:53 p.m. and attempted a northbound turn onto Bonito Avenue when he was struck by a BMW traveling east at a high rate of speed. Owens remained at that scene and was arrested for reckless driving. Gallopa died from his injuries about two weeks later, and the case was later upgraded to a felony vehicular manslaughter filing that brought Owens back to court this week.
The judge set bail at $200,000 after prosecutors argued Owens posed “a huge risk to the community.” Owens pleaded not guilty to vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence in the October case during a hearing this week. Police said detectives have already presented that case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office; a separate case file on the Jan. 4 crash is expected to be delivered to prosecutors next week. Authorities have not said whether drugs or alcohol were factors. Investigators also have not publicly specified an exact speed for the BMW in either case beyond the allegation of excessive speed. The department later clarified only the January crash qualifies as a hit-and-run because Owens stayed after the October collision.
Both fatal crashes happened within a half-mile of downtown blocks that draw heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic at night. The Jan. 4 wreck occurred near mid-rise apartments and small businesses on Atlantic Avenue, several blocks east of Long Beach City Hall. The October crash happened in a dense neighborhood east of Alamitos Beach where Fourth Street narrows and includes a shared bicycle lane. City data show Long Beach recorded dozens of traffic deaths in 2025, including multiple suspected hit-and-runs. In court, prosecutors said eyewitnesses and traffic cameras captured a BMW speeding through signals before the Jan. 4 collision. Police have not announced any other suspects. It remains unknown whether the BMW’s registered owner and the driver were the same in both instances, though prosecutors in court described Owens as the person behind the wheel in each crash.
What happens next is split into two tracks. In the October case, Owens faces a felony vehicular manslaughter charge; the maximum penalty on that count is up to several years in state prison if convicted. The Jan. 4 case remains under investigation; detectives said they will submit it to prosecutors next week for a charging decision that could include felony hit-and-run and additional homicide counts tied to the deaths of Smith and Lopez. Police say they are still gathering footage from nearby businesses and canvassing for additional witnesses. Any pretrial hearing dates on the October case were not immediately set in open court beyond Owens’ initial appearance and bail ruling this week. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the victims in both incidents and notified families.
Family members of the Jan. 4 victims gathered near the intersection this week, leaving flowers and candles along the curb. “She’s just a role model to everybody, including my boys,” said Monique Jackson, Smith’s mother, who told reporters she wants to watch the proceedings in person. “Wherever she went, they went.” Other relatives described Lopez as a young man who worked long hours and often carpooled with friends. Neighbors said the sound of the crash echoed for blocks and that traffic through the corridor has felt faster in recent months. A downtown worker who arrived minutes later said firefighters moved quickly to block the intersection as investigators laid out measuring tape for a reconstruction. Defense counsel declined further comment after the hearing beyond stating that Owens had come to police voluntarily.
As of Saturday morning, police said the October case has been filed and the January case is being prepared for review. Detectives expect to deliver their evidence to prosecutors next week, with any additional arrests or charges to be announced afterward. Funeral plans for Smith and Lopez were not immediately shared publicly. Gallopa’s relatives and cycling advocates have not held a formal vigil at the October crash site. No memorial event permits were listed for the Jan. 4 intersection this weekend. The traffic investigation remains active.
Author note: Last updated January 10, 2026.