Man Arrested After Robbery Attempt Ends in Death

A Lennox man has been arrested and is awaiting arraignment for murder after a youth believed to be his accomplice was shot by the intended victim of a failed robbery attempt, authorities said.

Miguel Rodriguez Ortega, 18, was arrested Sunday and is to be arraigned March 26 in Inglewood Municipal Court, authorities said. Ortega and the dead youth, Hector Cervantes, 17, of Inglewood allegedly attempted to rob a couple parked in a car near 104th Street and Hawthorne Boulevard on Saturday night.

Sheriff’s Deputy Gabe Ramirez said the youths were armed with handguns and approached the couple about 9 p.m. One of the intended victims, a man whose name was not released, set off his car alarm, got out of the car and shot at the assailants, Ramirez said.

The youths ran. Later, Cervantes was dropped off at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, allegedly by Ortega, Ramirez said. Cervantes died during surgery for gunshot wounds.

Ortega was arrested Sunday at County-USC Medical Center after sheriff’s deputies received a tip that he was being treated there, Ramirez said. Ortega had a gunshot wound in his left leg.

He is being held without bail at the county’s Central Jail. Under state law, anyone who commits a felony in which a killing takes place may be charged with murder.

No charges were filed against the man who shot the two teen-agers.

In a separate, unrelated case, Timothy Jenkins, 23, of Los Angeles, was arraigned Wednesday on murder charges stemming from a Sunday afternoon shooting. Jenkins pleaded not guilty in Inglewood Municipal Court in the killing of Johnny Andrews, 38, of Los Angeles, who was shot as he crossed Normandie Avenue near Century Boulevard in Athens.

According to authorities, a man had walked up to Andrews and opened fire. Andrews staggered about 30 yards before collapsing on a street corner, where he was pronounced dead about 3:30 p.m. The motive for the shooting is unknown, authorities said.