Family of woman who died from injuries suffered in hit-and-run crash call for justice, "Somebody's gotta pay for this"

The family of a woman who died more than a week after sustaining severe injuries during a crash with a hit-and-run driver in Long Beach is demanding justice. 

It happened on Dec. 26 at around at around 4:45 p.m. near the intersection of California Avenue and San Antonio Drive, say Long Beach Police Department officers. 

Though Nikki Rash wasn't treated at the scene for injuries, she later went to the hospital for the injuries she suffered in the crash, which she died from on Sunday. 

"Somebody's gotta pay for this," said one of Rash's loved ones while speaking with KCAL News. "This person needs to be caught."

Police say that the driver of a tan Toyota Avalon ran a red light at the intersection and collided with the side of Rash's vehicle. The driver got out for a moment before fleeing from the area, investigators say. 

Friends and family describe Rash as someone always looking to help others, regularly volunteering her time at local children's hospitals with her therapy dogs. 

One of those dogs is now also suffering through the loss of his beloved owners, family members say. 

"She's absolutely heartbroken and knows something's going on," Rash's son Chris said. "She sits at the front window at my dad's house every night and looks for mom."

They say that she also spent time volunteering at the Southern California Labrador Retriever Rescue. 

"It's pretty hard that my father's having to go through this right now," Chris Rash said. "It's just devastating."

Anyone who has further information is asked to contact LBPD at (562) 570-7355.