Late on June 3, a man in his 70s was left severely injured when a red SUV struck him as he used a marked crosswalk at Hope Street and 9th Street in downtown Los Angeles, police said. The driver sped off instead of stopping. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics rushed the victim to a nearby hospital with serious injuries, and Central Traffic Division detectives are now asking anyone who saw what happened to speak up.
What LAPD says
In a news release shared via LAPD PIO, the department said the crash happened at about 11:55 p.m. A red SUV was driving east on 9th Street when it turned left onto northbound Hope Street and hit a pedestrian in the marked crosswalk. “As the vehicle made the turn, it struck a pedestrian who was crossing Hope Street in the marked crosswalk,” the release states. Detectives said they are canvassing nearby businesses and pulling traffic-camera footage in hopes of catching a clearer look at the vehicle and whoever was behind the wheel.
Victim and response
The victim has not been publicly identified. CBS Los Angeles reported that LAFD paramedics transported the man to a nearby hospital with severe injuries. Police say the driver left the scene and that investigators are working to identify both the SUV and its driver. Authorities used the case as a reminder that drivers involved in crashes are required to stop, assist the injured and report what they saw to investigators instead of vanishing into the night.
How to tip and reward
According to the department’s newsroom reporting at the LAPD site, anyone with details about the collision is asked to contact Central Traffic Division Officer Herrera at 213-833-3713 or call the LAPD tip line at 1-877-LAPD-24-7. The city’s Hit-and-Run Reward Program Trust Fund can offer up to $25,000 for information that leads to the identification, arrest and conviction of a suspect, according to Los Angeles City Council records. Tipsters who prefer to stay anonymous can reach out through L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers or use the LAPD’s online tip tools.
Why officials are amplifying the plea
The renewed public plea comes as the LAPD has ramped up targeted traffic enforcement at several of the city’s most crash-prone intersections after a recent uptick in serious collisions, local reporting shows. LAPD swarms LA's deadliest corners noted the department’s operations and the city’s push to pair enforcement with engineering changes and data-driven street safety work. Police say community tips and video clips are often what finally break open hit-and-run cases, and detectives urged anyone who knows anything about the June 3 crash to step forward.
