A skateboarder in his 30s is in critical condition following a hit-and-run in Panorama City, and the Los Angeles Police Department is actively searching for the driver responsible. According to NBC Los Angeles, the incident occurred last Thursday at approximately 5:15 p.m. on Nordhoff Street, near Lurline Avenue. Surveillance footage shows the skateboarder being hit by a gray Ford Focus, which then fled the scene.
The graphic video of the incident released by the LAPD, which has been circulating online, gives insight into the brutal nature of the accident. The skateboarder was reportedly traveling westbound when struck by the vehicle. KTLA reports that post-impact, the victim was thrown onto the pavement while the car made a U-turn to hastily depart in the opposite direction. Officials have made it clear that by law, any party involved in a traffic collision is required to stop and render aid, something this driver egregiously chose not to do.
LAPD officials, in their appeal to the public, have described the suspect vehicle as having multiple distinguishing features, such as a light gray repaint on the front right fender and white tape around the edges of both rear headlamps. They believe the car may also have tinted rear windows. The victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, was taken to a local hospital where he remains in critical condition.
In the effort to locate the assailant and hold them accountable, the city is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction. This incentive is part of the city's Hit-and-Run Reward Program Trust Fund, established to encourage witnesses to come forward in such cases. LAPD shared on YouTube that anyone with relevant knowledge should urgently reach out to Valley Traffic Division Investigator Ramirez at 818-644-8025, or anonymously tip via L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, among other available avenues.
These intensified search efforts come as cities across California grapple perennially with hit-and-run cases, which often leave victims seriously injured or worse, without any immediate accountability. The vivid reminder from authorities serves as a prompt for communities to collectively assume responsibility, ensuring their streets can be navigated safely, even as city officials use every available resource to track down those who opt to recklessly flee from their actions instead of facing them.
