Pregnant woman killed in street fight

A pregnant woman who had just returned from her grandfather's funeral was killed when another woman deliberately rammed her car into a crowd during a street brawl, US authorities said.

The driver of the car, Unique Bishop, 21, fled after Monday afternoon's fight but later turned herself in and was arrested in connection with the murder investigation, Los Angeles police said.

She was being held in lieu of $1m (€683,832) bail.

"It was totally an intentional act to kill the woman. It was the driver's way of settling the dispute. It was a horrific act," Deputy Police Chief Charlie Beck said yesterday.

It was not known whether Bishop had a lawyer.

Shontae Treniece Blanche, 22, was killed in the confrontation, as was her unborn baby, police said.

Two other women were injured, one critically, police said.

Blanche was four to five months pregnant and had learned only last week that she was expecting a girl, said her stepmother, Diane Williams.

Blanche had returned from New Orleans about three hours before she was killed, Williams said. She had gone there to attend her grandfather's funeral.

"She was a wonderful, wonderful person, a wonderful child," Williams said.

One victim of the brawl, which involved more than 30 women, was in critical condition and was expected to lose her leg, police said.

It was unclear what the dispute was over, whether it was planned, and who started it, Skaggs said.

There was no indication of a gang connection, he said.

Witnesses told police they saw two groups of women shouting at each other and fighting at a discount store car park.

The fight then moved on to the street and into a petrol station.

Dozens gathered at the gas station and watched as Bishop got into her convertible and drove it into the group, investigators said.

One of the victims was pinned against another car, police said.