A 38-year-old woman was struck and killed in Van Nuys early Saturday, July 11, 2026, and Los Angeles police are now searching for the driver who took off after the collision. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene near Sepulveda Boulevard and Wyandotte Street, authorities said, as investigators fanned out to nearby businesses and reviewed surveillance and dash-cam footage in an effort to track down the vehicle.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the crash happened around 12:50 a.m. when a gray Toyota Tacoma, model years 2005 to 2011, was heading north on Sepulveda and hit the woman as she walked in an unmarked crosswalk. The driver kept going after the impact. Police said the victim's identity will be released once her family has been notified.
As reported by CBS News Los Angeles, investigators are asking anyone with information, including surveillance or dash-cam video from the area, to contact Valley Traffic Division Detective Section Officer Santos at (818) 644-8024 or Detective Barragan at (213) 840-2307.
Pedestrian Safety in Los Angeles
The deadly crash is the latest reminder of how hazardous Los Angeles streets remain for people on foot. Traffic collisions killed 290 people in the city last year, and more than 150 of those deaths involved pedestrians, according to LAist. City officials and safety advocates say long-running challenges around street design, enforcement and funding continue to hamper efforts to bring those numbers down.
Legal Stakes for Fleeing Drivers
Under California law, a driver who leaves the scene after causing injury or death can face felony hit-and-run charges. Vehicle Code section 20001 requires drivers involved in collisions that injure or kill someone to stop, identify themselves and provide aid, and it sets out possible prison sentences and fines for those who fail to do so, per the California Vehicle Code.
Hoodline previously reported on a separate fatal Van Nuys hit-and-run in May, underscoring ongoing safety concerns along Sepulveda corridors. Anyone with information about Saturday's crash is urged to call the LAPD at the numbers listed above or submit an anonymous tip to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers.
