The woman, identified as Patricia Ann O'Donnell, 48, was seen on surveillance video getting out of a truck and getting on her skateboard in the area of Pershing Drive and Campdell Street just before 1:30 a.m. Thursday.
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She was skating in a business parking lot and then rode into the street, where a car heading north on Pershing slammed into her, police say. The car did not stop.
Investigators say they were able to later track down a suspect, identified as Patrick Finkelstein, 45, of Santa Monica.
He was arrested and booked for vehicular manslaughter while driving under the influence. He was being held on $100,000 bail.
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Neighbors and residents say they are shocked by the incident.
"He didn't have to leave," said Hayward Brown, who owns a business in the area. "He should've stopped and rendered aid, tried to help her out."
The Los Angeles Police Department says the city has seen a sharp increase in hit-and-runs, with 23,000 last year. In Playa del Rey, there were 46 hit-and-runs, two of them involving pedestrians.