A tragic occurrence unfolded this past Saturday in Long Beach when a man was fatally struck by three separate vehicles as reported by CBS News Los Angeles. Long Beach Police responded to the scene at the intersection of Ocean Boulevard and Falcon Avenue around 9:30 p.m., where they discovered the adult male victim, lying in the roadway, ultimately declared dead at the scene.
According to the Long Beach Police Department's press release, the initial collision involved an unidentified dark-colored sedan hitting the pedestrian in an marked crosswalk. The driver of this vehicle did not stay but instead fled immediately after the collision. Minutes later, a 2016 BMW X3, driven by a 59-year-old Tustin resident, collided with the already injured pedestrian. The driver of the BMW stopped to cooperate with police, a sharp contrast to an another dark-colored sedan that also struck the pedestrian and proceeded to flee.
The Long Beach Police are treating speed and distracted driving as potential contributing factors in the events leading to the fatal outcomes involving the vehicles that departed from the crime scene, as indicated by the official statement from the LBPD. Authorities are currently pursuing leads to identify and locate the drivers of the two sedans that did not remain at the scene.
The Los Angeles County Department of the Medical Examiner is tasked with identifying the deceased and notifying his next of kin. The incident has left the community with a stark reminder of the consequences that can ensue from distracted or reckless driving. LBPD Collision Investigation Detail Detective Kevin Johansen is leading the inquiry. Witnesses or those with relevant information are urged to contact the LBPD at (562) 570-7355 or anonymously via "LA Crime Stoppers."
