A 65-year-old South Los Angeles man, identified by authorities as Jose Melesio, was struck and killed in a hit-and-run on the Figueroa Street corridor early Monday, and the driver is still nowhere to be found. Melesio was discovered on the northbound side of Figueroa Street near 75th Street and was pronounced dead at the scene.
What the police say
The collision happened at about 3:10 a.m., when a driver in a silver four-door sedan allegedly ran over Melesio and then took off northbound, according to CBS Los Angeles. Officers have not made any arrests and are treating the case as a felony hit-and-run. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded and declared Melesio dead at the scene.
Reward and how to tip
The City of Los Angeles is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information that leads to the identification and arrest of the driver, under the Los Angeles Police Department's hit-and-run reward program. Detectives asked anyone with information to contact the South Traffic Division; Officer Hurd can be reached at (213) 321-9681 or 1 (877) 527-3247. Tipsters who prefer to stay anonymous can call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
Figueroa corridor safety
This stretch of Figueroa has seen a series of serious collisions in recent months, and neighbors have repeatedly called for safety upgrades and more traffic enforcement. A previous Hoodline report covered another deadly hit-and-run on the Figueroa corridor earlier this year.
What detectives are looking for
Investigators are canvassing nearby businesses and checking traffic cameras for surveillance and dash-cam video that could show the suspect vehicle or its route, and they urged drivers who were in the area around 3 a.m. to review any recordings, according to CBS Los Angeles. Detectives describe the suspect car as a silver four-door sedan and say the driver left the scene without stopping.
Legal consequences
Under California law, leaving the scene of a crash that causes injury or death can be prosecuted under Vehicle Code 20001 and may be charged as a felony with potential prison time, according to the state's code. The statute requires drivers to stop, provide reasonable aid, and exchange identifying information. Penalties increase when a collision results in death or permanent, serious injury, per California Vehicle Code 20001.
Anyone with information is asked to contact South Traffic Division detectives at (213) 321-9681 or 1-877-527-3247, or to submit an anonymous tip at lacrimestoppers.org. Hoodline will update this post as officials release new details.
