Pedestrian Killed After Being Hit By 2 Cars In South LA; 3 Witnesses That Tried To Help Him Sought For Questioning
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Police are searching for several witnesses who stopped to help a man who had been fatally struck by a two cars in South LA.
The initial crash happened at about 1:20 a.m. Monday on Main Street, just north of 71st Street. A light-colored, two-door vehicle going south on Main Street hit a 35-year-old man standing into the southbound lanes, catapulting him into the air and land on the other side of the street, according to the LAPD.
The driver did not stop, police said. The pedestrian was left in the roadway, prompting two other drivers to stop and check on him. One was woman who stopped and talked to the man in an apparent attempt to help him, then left the scene. The Spanish-speaking driver of a light-colored Toyota Prius – which police say appeared to be a taxi -- also stopped to check on the man, who was still down in the street.
But while the Prius driver spoke with the pedestrian, a dark sedan going north on Main Street ran the pedestrian over again and dragged him about 60 feet before he was dislodged, according to the LAPD. The Prius driver made a U-turn and left the area.
The pedestrian was declared dead at the scene. Police identified him only as a 35-year-old Los Angeles man, and are withholding his name pending notification of his family.
The LAPD says both cars that hit the pedestrian are likely to have front-end damage, with more severe damage to the light-colored vehicle's hood and windshield. Detectives also want to speak to the two drivers who stopped to talk to the pedestrian, calling them witnesses, and a third who was driving behind the Toyota and may have followed the second hit-and-run vehicle.
Anyone with information about this crash can contact Investigator J. Mendoza at (213) 833-3713 or email him at 32010@lapd.online.