Hit-and-run victim dragged for several blocks by vehicle in fatal South LA crash; driver sought

BySophie Flay and ABC7.com staff KABC logo
Wednesday, October 25, 2023
Hit-and-run victim dragged for blocks in fatal South LA crash
A bicyclist was pronounced dead after being struck by a hit-and-run driver and dragged for several blocks in South Los Angeles.

SOUTH LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A bicyclist was pronounced dead after being struck by a hit-and-run driver and dragged for several blocks Tuesday morning in South Los Angeles.

The horrific collision occurred shortly after 9 a.m. in the area of 117th Street and Broadway. After the impact, the driver continued on for about a mile with the victim still connected to the vehicle.

Surveillance video from Bo's Mini Market does not show the moment of impact, but the footage does show the driver not slowing down or stopping to render aid after striking the victim.

"It's pretty hard to go that distance and take that many turns to think that you don't know that you hit somebody or that somebody is under your car," said LAPD Detective Ryan Moreno.

The driver struck the bicyclist at 117th Street, traveled southbound on Broadway, took a right turn on 120th Street, then made a left turn on Athens Way, took another left turn on 124th Street, followed by a right turn on Broadway.

The body was found at the intersection of El Segundo Boulevard and Broadway, in the Athens neighborhood. The victim was not immediately identified. His yellow bicycle was found at the scene with dents and one of the wheels detached. The victim's black Adidas shoes were also found strewn about on the street outside of Bo's Mini Market.

The suspect being sought was described only as a man driving a white Chevrolet camper van with blue stripes.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department investigators placed a privacy canopy over the victim's body, and the intersection was closed to traffic.

If you have any relevant information, you're urged to contact LAPD.