Jesse Esphorst Jr.
Jesse Sr and Jr
TORRANCE — The driver of a 2004 Audi A6 struck a 2014 Mercedes-Benz GLK350 and did not stop. The driver of the Mercedes pursued the Audi and during the pursuit both vehicles ran a red light at Crenshaw Boulevard and Crest Road, and then both struck a minivan.
Jesse Esphorst Sr. was driving his son, South High baseball player Jesse Jr., home after a baseball game. They had just eaten dinner at a relative’s house after the game. The collision killed the son and sent the father to the hospital.
Jesse Jr. had just hit a two-run home run a few hours prior to the wreck.
21-year-old Tung Ming, the driver of the Mercedes, remained at the scene of the accident. He was taken to the hospital and arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter. He was released on a $50,000 bail.
The abandoned Audi was discovered in the vicinity.
On his Prospect Pipeline video Esphorst Jr. said, “Not only am I a good athlete, but also a good person, teammate and student.” Grady Sain, head coach at South High School baseball, said that Esphorth’s “goals were to play pro-ball.”
