A late-night walk in North Hollywood turned deadly early Wednesday when a pedestrian was struck and killed in a hit-and-run near the southbound Hollywood Freeway off-ramp at Magnolia Boulevard, according to police. Emergency crews pronounced the person dead at the scene, and the driver took off without stopping. Parts of the intersection remain shut down while detectives comb the area for clues and the car that sped away.
What officials say
Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department’s North Hollywood Division were called around 1:53 a.m. to Magnolia Boulevard at the southbound Hollywood (170) Freeway off-ramp, an LAPD spokeswoman told City News Service, according to MyNewsLA. Firefighters with the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived and pronounced the pedestrian dead at the scene, the outlet reported. Investigators were told the vehicle had been going westbound on Magnolia when it hit the person.
Authorities have not yet released the victim’s name. The driver took off in an unknown direction after the collision, KTLA reported. The investigation is still active as detectives canvas the neighborhood for witnesses and scour any available camera footage that might capture the fleeing vehicle.
How to help
Valley Traffic detectives are asking anyone who saw the crash or who has video to contact the LAPD Valley Traffic Division at 818-644-8025 or the department’s 24-hour tip line at 1-877-LAPD-24-7. Anonymous tips can be submitted to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, per the LAPD. The City’s Hit-and-Run Reward Program may offer financial incentives for information that leads to an identification or arrest.
Why this matters
North Hollywood and the wider Valley have been hit with a rash of dangerous hit-and-run collisions this year, stretching local traffic detectives and stoking louder calls for tougher enforcement and better lighting near freeway ramps, according to previous reporting. Safety advocates note that intersections near off-ramps are particularly risky for people on foot, since drivers are often exiting at high speeds and crosswalks can be limited.
The LAPD says the case remains open and is urging anyone with information, no matter how small, to come forward. No suspects have been publicly identified, and officials say they will release more details as new leads develop.
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