NORTH HILLS : Motorist Charged in Drug-Deal Slaying
- Share via
A North Hills man, who police said spontaneously confessed to an unsolved homicide after they stopped him for a traffic violation, was charged Thursday with murder.
Kurt Allensworth, 29, was scheduled to be arraigned today in Van Nuys Municipal Court in the slaying of Rick Comi, 33, who police said was a drug dealer.
Police said that Allensworth was sitting in a pickup truck Sept. 27 when Comi approached and sold him a $20 rock of crack cocaine.
However, a dispute arose over the value of a gold chain that Allensworth tried to pay Comi with, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert P. Imerman. When Comi reached into the truck to grab the drug back, Allensworth closed the window on his arm, then sped off with Comi hanging on, Imerman said.
When Comi fell from the moving truck, he suffered head injuries and died two days later, the prosecutor said.
Allensworth confessed the killing to police Wednesday after officers forced him to stop on Mulholland Drive after a chase at speeds up to 100 m.p.h. Police said the chase began when officers observed Allensworth make an illegal U-turn on Sepulveda Boulevard in Van Nuys.
Allensworth, who is being held without bail, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted of the murder.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
