Just after sunrise on March 18, a pedestrian using a marked crosswalk on Nordhoff Street in North Hills was struck and severely injured, and police say the driver never stopped. The hit-and-run happened shortly after 6 a.m. under the 405 Freeway overpass on Nordhoff, just west of Orion Avenue, and investigators believe the fleeing vehicle is a black car with front-end damage from the collision.
According to a Los Angeles Police Department community alert, detectives publicly renewed their plea Thursday for witnesses and dashcam footage that could identify the driver. The victim was taken to a hospital with severe injuries, and the crash remains under investigation. Investigators are asking anyone who was on that stretch of Nordhoff that morning to review any surveillance, dashcam, or phone video for clues.
Per the LAPD, the city has signed off on a $25,000 reward through its Hit-and-Run Reward Program and urged the public to call Valley Traffic Division detectives with tips. Investigators listed Officer Freeman as a contact at (818) 644-8115 and encouraged anonymous tips to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. Officials say anyone who spots a black vehicle with possible crash damage that fits the description should report it immediately.
Where It Happened And Neighborhood Context
The Nordhoff corridor under the 405 has already been on the radar for all the wrong reasons after a string of serious crashes in recent months. Earlier this month, investigators went public with another plea for help after a different hit-and-run along Nordhoff left a pedestrian critically injured, as CBS Los Angeles reported. Hoodline previously covered a February collision nearby that saw a wheelchair user hurled into a food cart.
Residents and nearby business owners in the area say they want as much video and as many witness statements as possible in hopes of finally putting a name to the driver who took off.
Reward And Legal Notes
The Hit-and-Run Reward Program was established through an amendment to the Los Angeles Administrative Code and allows the city to pay tipsters whose information leads to the identification, arrest, and conviction of a suspect, the LAPD notes on its site. The dollar amount is approved on a case-by-case basis. In this investigation, officials authorized a $25,000 reward in an effort to coax anyone with relevant information out of the shadows.
How To Help Investigators
Police are asking anyone with information, video, or photos tied to the March 18 crash to contact Valley Traffic Division Detective Freeman at (818) 644-8115, or to call L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477 to remain anonymous. As reported by KTLA, detectives are canvassing the Nordhoff corridor for surveillance footage and drivers who may have seen something that morning, even if they did not realize it at the time.
