BRIEFLY : CORONER'S OFFICIAL IDS SHOOTING VICTIM.

WINNETKA - A Los Angeles County Coroner's Office official identified on Wednesday a man killed in car-to-car gunfire as Thien Pham, 18, of Rosemead.

Pham, a purported Asian gang member, was driving southbound on Mason Street, between Parthenia and Chase streets, Tuesday with another gang suspect at his side in the passenger sear, said Sgt. Rich Groller of the Los Angeles Police Department's Deveonshire Division.

Two rival Asian gang members pulled up beside Pham and his passenger and the rival gang members exchanged gundfire, with Pham getting shot at about 6:30 p.m., Groller said.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said rival Asian gang activity has escalated recently in the San Fernando Valley.

- Daily News

Man's family OKs deal in MTA death

The wife and children of the first MTA subway worker to die on the job agreed to settle their wrongful-death lawsuit against the agency Wednesday, a day before the case was set for trial.

Jaime Pasillas was working at the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Las Palmas Avenue on Feb. 15, 1997, when a chain broke, sending a bin filled with two tons of construction debris crashing on his head.

Pasillas' wife, Sally, said the settlement was reached in part because she and her four children ``didn't want to relive'' her husband's death during trial proceedings. Her lawyer said the settlement is confidential and subject to MTA board approval.

Since the death of Pasillas, two other MTA workers have died on the job - both in Universal City tunnels. The parents of one of those workers, Eleazar Montes, filed suit against the MTA earlier this month.

Two men testing motorcycle killed

ROSAMOND - Two men were killed during a test run of a Honda motorcycle Wednesday afternoon at the Willow Springs International Raceway, officials said.

The deceased were identified as Dirk Vandenberg, 48, of Mission Viejo and Joses Boyd, 49, of Redondo Beach, said Lt. Bruce Lyle of the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office.

California Highway Patrol sources said one of the men was test-riding a new Honda motorcycle along the 2-1/2-mile winding, paved track, which Honda Corp. had rented.

Both men had been riding the motorcycle, each taking turns to stop and take pictures, said CHP Officer Roberta Record of the Mojave office. One man got off the bike to take pictures, and while standing on the track, was hit by the other motorcyclist at about 2 p.m., she said.

CHP dispatcher Antonio Gonzalez of the Barstow station said the motorcyclist was chasing another motorcyclist when he hit the man taking photographs.

The cyclist and photographer were transported to Antelope Valley Medical Center, where they died, Gonzalez said.

About nine other people were at the track, but no other injuries were reported, Record said, noting that the investigation is in its very preliminary stages.

- Daily News