A man was killed in a hit-and-run on Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach in the early hours of New Year's Eve, police said. The victim, an adult male pedestrian whose identity hasn't been disclosed, was found dead on the roadway following a grisly incident involving two vehicles, the second of which remained on the scene and cooperated with authorities.
According to a press release on the city's official website, Long Beach police were called to the 700 block of W. Pacific Coast Highway at approximately 4:25 a.m. where they, along with Long Beach Fire Department personnel, discovered the deceased pedestrian between Daisy Avenue and Maine Avenue. Life-threatening injuries to his upper body were suffered by the pedestrian, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The initial investigation indicated that the pedestrian was first hit by a vehicle that fled before officers arrived. A 49-year-old Long Beach resident, driving the second vehicle, was involved in a subsequent collision with the pedestrian already lying in the eastbound lanes of traffic. Struck by the second driver who remained to assist in the investigation, the pedestrian's tragic fate was already sealed.
The hit-and-run aspect of the case remains under investigation, and the Long Beach Police Department’s Collision Investigation Detail is urging any witnesses to come forward. Detective Joseph Johnson, in charge of the case, can be reached at (562) 570-7355. Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously through "LA Crime Stoppers" by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or online at www.LACrimeStoppers.org.
