Los Angeles police are searching for a white Dodge Charger after a pedestrian was fatally struck in Koreatown early Friday morning. The crash happened shortly before 4 a.m. at the intersection of Leeward Avenue and South Vermont Avenue, and a man was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Witnesses told reporters they saw a white Dodge Charger hit the victim as he crossed the street and then leave the area heading north on Vermont Avenue.
What police say
According to KTLA, witnesses said they saw a white Dodge Charger strike the man as he crossed Leeward and South Vermont Avenue before the driver fled northbound on Vermont. The LAPD told the station the victim was pronounced dead at the scene and that no description of the driver was immediately available.
Pattern in Koreatown
Previous reporting shows Koreatown has seen multiple early-morning collisions and hit-and-runs, and those incidents have prompted residents to call for better lighting and increased traffic enforcement, as noted in coverage of multiple early-morning collisions and hit-and-runs. The neighborhood's dense mix of businesses and late-night activity can mean sparse witnesses at certain hours, complicating investigations.
Investigators' next steps
Detectives with the LAPD's West Traffic Division are reviewing nearby surveillance and cellphone footage to try to identify the vehicle and driver, according to KTLA. Anyone with information or video is urged to contact the LAPD; in an emergency call 911.
The investigation remains active and the vehicle has not been located. Authorities are expected to release more details as they become available.
