Hells Angels vice president Tom Wood was heading to his Upper Darby home after celebrating at cheerleaders, a South Philly bar, with a new member who had just gotten his "colors."

Wood driving his gray GMC pickup truck next to Byron Evans, an Angel riding on his Harley Davidson. Both were heading west on the Schuylkill Expressway.

Shortly before the Vare Avenue exit in Southwest Philadelphia, a white Chevy suburban with "off-road lights" pulled alongside the Angels about 1:30 a.m. and at least one gunman inside opened fire at Evans, police said.

Wood steered his truck between the van and Evans "to intervene, actually preventing Evans from being hit," according to Homicide Capt. Richard Ross.

Wood may have saved Evans' life but bullets riddled Wood's truck and one slug struck Wood in the head. His pickup veered out of control hitting the chainlink fence in front of Taz Motors on the Vare Avenue exit near New Hope Street.

Evans, who was armed, jumped off his cycle and ran over to the pickup to aid Wood. When patrolmen and paramedics arrived, Evans was giving Wood CPR. Paramedics rushed Wood to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where he was declared dead, police said.

On Jan. 3, the Angels' East Coast leader John "John the Baptist" LaFranco officially declared war on the Pagans, following bloody clashes between the clubs since several members of the Pagans, including Woods, switched allegances and started the first Philly Hells Angels chapter.

Lt. Kevin Rehmann, spokesman for the Jersey State Police, said troopers are investigating whether the Wood murder was related to the Jan. 1 beating of an Angels' member in Burlington County.

Angels biker Vincent Heinrich, 36, of Bloomfield, N.J., was beaten by five assailants, believed to be Pagans, with wooden sticks or a board outside the Woodshed bar in Woodland Township.

Yesterday, officers from several agencies tried to locate Steven "Gorilla" Mondevergine, the head of the Pagans in the Philadelphia and South Jersey areas.

Mondevergine had once vowed to retaliate against Wood, Anthony "Mengie" Mengenie, James "Slim Jim" Wysong, and Mark "Slo Mo" Mangano, all Pagan who patched over to the Angels.

Investigators believe the triggerman in the latest shooting was initially not shooting at Wood, but at Evans, and that either could have been a target of opportunity. Both bikers were wearing their colors. Investigators also believe the violence will continue, stating that the hit will force the Hells Angels to respond.