The crash happened around 2 a.m. Friday near the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Normandie Avenue. According to witnesses, the driver of a silver car was speeding down Santa Monica Boulevard and struck a pedestrian, who was walking in the crosswalk.
"They had their lights off, they didn't see the pedestrian crossing, so they hit the pedestrian really hard, and the pedestrian went flying," said witness Fernando Luis.
The pedestrian was severely injured and had to undergo surgery, police said. The pedestrian did not survive.
The driver continued down Santa Monica Boulevard, lost control and crashed into a parked car. The driver, according to witnesses, bailed out of the vehicle and fled on foot. That's when Good Samaritan Tony Hoff jumped into action.
"I ran as fast as I could down Edgemont looking for this guy, and there was another vehicle that was right behind us that followed me the whole way and put their high beams on, and searched the opposite side of the street while I was looking down the other side of the street," Hoff said. "We found him and we brought him back."
Hoff says when he approached the suspect, he was covered in blood, talking on his cellphone and appeared under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
"At that point in time I also realized that he had blood - literally, he had blood on his hands - and a little bit of blood on his face from the actual accident," Hoff said.
The suspect was taken to a local hospital, and police say charges are pending.
As for Hoff, he says he just did what he thought was right, and doesn't consider himself a hero.
"I feel like I did what anyone would have done that was able to do so at that point in time," he said.
Police have not released the names of the victim or the suspect and say the incident is still under investigation.
