Two pedestrians were crossing Venice Boulevard in a marked crosswalk at Abbot Kinney Boulevard when a white Lexus SUV slammed into them and sped off, leaving one victim critically injured; both were taken to a hospital, and Los Angeles police are searching for a driver described as a man in his late 20s. The crash happened at roughly 9:10 a.m. on September 5, according to police details.
The pedestrians were walking northbound across Venice Boulevard when the SUV, traveling eastbound, struck them in the crosswalk. According to KTLA, the driver briefly stopped and stepped out of his car before getting back in and fleeing the scene, leaving the injured pair behind. Investigators say the suspect was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and brown pants, and detectives have since released surveillance images of the vehicle in hopes someone recognizes it.
The collision occurred at approximately 9:10 a.m. on September 5, when the two pedestrians were crossing Venice Boulevard northbound at Abbot Kinney Boulevard, according to details reported by MyNewsLA. Police believe the suspect's vehicle is an older white Lexus GX 470 SUV, possibly a 2006 to 2015 model, fitted with a lift kit and oversized tires — a distinctive look investigators are counting on the public to remember.
A Distinctive Vehicle and a Public Appeal
LAPD has asked anyone with information leading to the suspect's identification and arrest to come forward, with a reward of up to $25,000 available for tips that crack the case. Those with information are asked to call Detective Curtis Morton at 213-473-0234, or reach the LAPD general tip line at 1-877-527-3247. Anonymous tipsters can also contact L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit information online at lacrimestoppers.org.
Beyond the department's own reward fund, anonymous tipsters working through Crime Stoppers may qualify for a separate, independent cash reward of up to $1,000 tied solely to an arrest, according to guidelines detailed by the Sierra Sun Times. That reward is separate from the city's larger trust fund, established by a 2015 municipal ordinance.
What the Law Says About Leaving the Scene
Fleeing an injury crash is not a minor traffic infraction. Under California Vehicle Code § 20001, a crash resulting in death or permanent, serious injury can carry up to four years in state prison. For other injury crashes, the law also allows county jail, according to FindLaw. Separately, Vehicle Code § 20003 requires drivers involved in an injury accident to render reasonable assistance to the injured, which can include arranging or carrying out emergency medical transportation, per an analysis from the Goldstein Law Group.
A Dangerous Stretch With a History of Severe Crashes
This is not the first time the Venice and Abbot Kinney intersection has seen a life-altering crash. In June 2026, a separate severe vehicle collision at the same intersection left a father with a below-the-knee leg amputation after he pushed his 2-year-old daughter out of the path of an out-of-control vehicle, according to a report shared on Facebook.
Venice Boulevard itself carries a grim distinction: it's part of LADOT's High Injury Network, a designation covering just 6% of city street mileage where more than 65% of severe and fatal pedestrian and bicyclist crashes occur, as Hoodline previously reported after another hit-and-run struck a bicyclist along the same corridor.
Part of a Citywide Pattern
The Venice Boulevard crash comes amid a broader road-safety problem in Los Angeles. In 2023, traffic fatalities exceeded murders, according to LAPD traffic statistics cited by Crosstown LA.
For now, investigators are relying on the public to identify the driver behind the wheel of the lifted white Lexus. LAPD has reiterated that drivers involved in any collision are required to pull over, notify emergency services and remain at the scene — obligations the department says the suspect ignored when he drove away from two injured pedestrians on Venice Boulevard.
