1 dead, 1 hurt in motorcycle accidents

A woman was thrown from the back of a motorcycle and killed, and another motorcyclist was in critical condition Sunday when suspected drunk drivers struck their bikes, police said.

The two separate accidents occurred near a nightclub in South Los Angeles, where some 300 motorcyclists had gathered. Police broke up the crowd about 1:30 a.m., after receiving complaints that the bikers were causing a disturbance and racing their motorcycles in the streets, said LAPD Officer Norma Eisenman.

As the bikers dispersed, one unidentified motorcyclist was struck by a suspected drunk driver in an SUV and taken to a hospital in critical condition. The driver, whose identity was not released, was detained at the scene. About an hour later, another suspected drunk driver in a Dodge pickup struck a motorcycle, killing the 40-year-old woman who was riding on the back.