73-year-old man killed in Canoga Park hit-and-run crash

CANOGA PARK, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A 73-year-old man was killed after he was struck by a car in Canoga Park, and now investigators are searching for the driver responsible.

Los Angeles police said the fatal collision happened as the man was pushing a shopping cart and walking northbound in one of the traffic lanes along Topanga Canyon Boulevard, just south of Parthenia Street shortly after 10 p.m. Wednesday.

The man died at the scene. Police did not immediately release his identity but said he has relatives in the San Fernando Valley. Authorities said the man was living on the streets.

The man's relatives said his name was Salvador Placentia and that he didn't consider himself homeless, but was living the way he liked - outdoors.

"To him, he wasn't homeless. He used to say he was the richest guy in the world because he had the biggest yard in the world," his son, Saul Placentia, said.

Saul added that the collision was miles away from where his father usually stays. This is the second hit-and-run death in the family. Saul's younger sister, a veteran, was killed a few years ago.

Placentia's granddaughter urged anyone with information to come forward to help find the person who killed her grandfather.

Before the collision, police said they received calls from concerned citizens. An officer was dispatched to the area, but the crash occurred before he arrived.

LAPD Detective Bill Bustos said cars typically go approximately 45 mph in the area.

Officials do not believe speed was a factor in the crash. In fact, police believe the driver tried to avoid hitting the victim.

Investigators are looking for help from anyone who may have witnessed the incident. A description of the hit-and-run vehicle was not available, but police say it likely has front-end damage.

If you have any information about this incident, you're urged to contact police by calling (877) LAPD-24-7.