LAPD Blog

Severe Hit and Run Traffic Collision

Los Angeles:  Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Traffic Division are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect responsible for the Hit and Run traffic collision that severely injured a bicyclist.

On March 9, 2021, around 6:04 p.m., a 30-year male bicyclist was riding on the north sidewalk of Olympic Boulevard, just east of Boyle Avenue, when he was struck by the driver of a white semi-truck as the driver was entering a commercial fueling station. The driver stopped briefly but left the scene without identifying himself or rendering aid to the bicyclist.   

The bicyclist suffered multiple fractures and internal injuries. He was taken to a local hospital by paramedics from the Los Angeles City Fire Department. After several days in the intensive care unit, he was later released and is slowly recovering.

The semi-truck is a white, possible 2015 Freightliner Columbia 120. The driver is described as a male, possible Hispanic, in his late 30’s.

Drivers are reminded that if they become involved in a collision, they should pull over and stop as soon as it is safe to do so, notify emergency services, and remain at the scene to identify themselves.

Anyone with information is asked to please contact Officer Garcia, Central Traffic Detectives, at 213-833-3713 or e-mail him at [email protected].  During non-business hours, or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247).  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org.  Tipsters may also visit www.lapdonline.org, and click on “Anonymous Web Tips” under the Get Involved-Crime Stoppers” menu to submit an online tip.  Lastly, tipsters may also download the “P3 Tips” mobile application and select the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.   

Fatal Hit and Run Traffic Collision

South Los Angeles: Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department's Central Traffic Division are seeking the public's assistance in identifying the suspect or suspects responsible for the Hit and Run traffic collision that severely injured a pedestrian.

On April 12, 2021, around 1:20 a.m., a light color 2-door vehicle was travelling southbound on Main Street from 70th Street and collided into a pedestrian who was standing in the southbound lanes of Main Street, just north of 71st Street. The impact caused the pedestrian to be catapulted into the air and land on the northbound lanes of Main Street. The driver of the light-color vehicle fled without identifying themselves or attempting to render aid to the victim as required by law.

After the collision, as the pedestrian laid on the roadway, a female driver stopped, exited her vehicle, and it appeared that she attempted to assist the pedestrian. They were involved in a brief conversation, the female re-entered her vehicle and left the scene.

Moments later, a Spanish speaking male driver of a light-colored Toyota Prius stopped and pulled over. It appeared the driver was checking on the pedestrian who was still laying on the street. As the male was speaking with the pedestrian, a dark sedan travelling northbound on Main Street ran him over and dragged him approximately 60 feet before being dislodged. The driver of the dark sedan fled the scene without rendering aid and identifying himself or herself. The driver of the Toyota also left the scene.

Paramedics from the Los Angeles City Fire Department arrived at the scene and began to render aid. Despite lifesaving efforts, the Paramedics pronounced the pedestrian dead. The pedestrian has been identified by the Los Angeles County Coroner, however, his name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The pedestrian is a male white, 35 years old, and he is a resident of Los Angeles.

The light-colored hit and run vehicle is likely to have damage on the front end, the hood, and the windshield. The dark sedan is likely to have front end damage.

Detectives wish to speak with the female who stopped and spoke with the pedestrian, the driver of the light-color Toyota Prius which appeared to be a taxi, and the driver of the vehicle that was behind the Toyota which might have followed the 2nd hit and run vehicle. All three are witnesses in this investigation.

Drivers are reminded that if they become involved in a collision, they should pull over and stop as soon as it is safe to do so, notify emergency services, and remain at the scene to identify themselves.

Anyone with information is asked to please contact Investigator J. Mendoza, Central Traffic Detectives, at 213-833-3713 or e-mail him at [email protected]. During non-business hours, or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org. Tipsters may also visit www.lapdonline.org, and click on "Anonymous Web Tips" under the Get Involved-Crime Stoppers" menu to submit an online tip. Lastly, tipsters may also download the "P3 Tips" mobile application and select the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.

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Crenshaw: The Los Angeles Police Department's South Traffic Division detectives are requesting the public's help in identifying a hit and run suspect.

On Thursday, April 1, 2021, around 2:35 p.m., a fatal traffic collision occurred on Crenshaw Boulevard near Westmont Avenue. A black Ford Flex vehicle traveling southbound on Crenshaw Boulevard collided with the rear of a moped. The impact caused the rider of the moped to be ejected onto the roadway. The driver of the Ford Flex continued driving southbound on Crenshaw Boulevard without stopping to identify themselves or render aid as required by law.

Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics transported the victim to a local area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries on April 3, 2021.

South Traffic Detectives canvassed and located video of the suspect fleeing the scene with his passengers. Detectives will be releasing both video and images of the suspect and his passengers. Detectives are announcing a $50,000 reward for any information leading to the identity, arrest and conviction of the suspect.

Drivers are reminded that if they become involved in a collision, they should pull over and stop as soon as it is safe to do so, notify emergency services, and remain at the scene to identify themselves.

Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact Detective Keith Gonzales or Detective Michael Flannery, South Traffic Division at 323-421-2500. During non-business hours, or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org. Tipsters may also visit www.lapdonline.org, and click on "Anonymous Web Tips" under the Get Involved-Crime Stoppers" menu to submit an online tip. Lastly, tipsters may also download the "P3 Tips" mobile application and select the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.

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Winnetka:  Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Valley Bureau Homicide are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect or suspects responsible for killing a man.    

On April 7, 2021, at 8:10 a.m., Topanga Area patrol officers responded to a radio call of a stabbing in the 7600 block of Gazette Avenue.  Officers located a victim with multiple stab wounds laying on the grass in the backyard of a residence.  The victim was not conscious and struggling to breathe.  Detectives from Operations Valley Bureau Homicide responded to the location and assumed responsibility of the investigation.  Their investigation revealed that the victim had entered the back yard of the residence through the rear alley.

Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to the scene and transported the victim to a local hospital where the victim was pronounced dead.    

The victim is described as a 26-year-old Hispanic male from Canoga Park.  His name is being witheld pending notification to the next of kin.

There is no suspect description.    

Anyone that may have seen or heard anything is asked to call Valley Bureau Homicide detectives at 818-374-1925.  During non-business hours, or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247).  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org.  Tipsters may also visit www.lapdonline.org, and click on “Anonymous Web Tips” under the Get Involved-Crime Stoppers” menu to submit an online tip.  Lastly, tipsters may also download the “P3 Tips” mobile application and select the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.     

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North Hollywood: The Los Angeles Police Department's North Hollywood Area detectives are asking for the public's help in identifying two robbery suspects.

On March 20, 2021, around 4:20 p.m., the suspects followed the victim out of a store and into a parking lot located near Victory Boulevard and Vineland Avenue. Suspect-1 pointed a dark colored firearm at the victim. The victim, in fear, ran to the other side of his car. Suspect-1 opened the victim's driver's side door and took a French Bulldog puppy out of the victim's vehicle. The Suspects then fled location on foot with the French Bulldog puppy.

Suspect-1 is described as a male, Hispanic, approximately 20-years-old with brown hair, brown eyes. He stands approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs around 160 pounds. He was wearing black shoes, blue jeans, camouflage jacket, and red hat worn backwards with a distinctive "Gauge" earring.

Suspect-2 is described as a male, Hispanic, around 20-years-old, with brown hair, brown eyes. He stands approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds. He was wearing white shoes, blue jeans, and black sweater.

Anyone with information about this incident are asked to contact North Hollywood Robbery Detectives, Detective Kojima at 818-754-8426 or 818-754-8424. During non-business hours, or on weekends, calls should be directed to 323-846-6553 or 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org. Tipsters may also visit www.lapdonline.org, and click on "Anonymous Web Tips" under the "Get Involved-Crime Stoppers" menu to submit an online tip. Lastly, tipsters may also download the "P3 Tips" mobile application and select the LA Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.

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UPDATE

March 26, 2021

 

As of this morning, the streets surrounding the Echo Park area are open for through traffic.

 

Last night, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) continued to deploy officers in the area of Echo Park in support of the announced park closure and to ensure the safety of the surrounding community. Our ongoing operations are the result of intensive collaboration with Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell and his staff, the Mayor's office, Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks, and housing and other service providers at Echo Park.

An unlawful assembly was declared, and several dispersal orders were given in the area of Lemoyne Street and Park Avenue after numerous individuals amongst the protestors within the large crowd used high-powered LED strobe lights directed at officers' eyes causing temporary blindness. Repeated attempts to have the individuals stop their dangerous actions were unsuccessful. Efforts to isolate and remove those individuals were met with hostility and physical resistance from the larger crowd. Once the decision was made to initiate arrests, the crowd was surrounded and individually taken into custody without incidence of force or injury.

There were 182 arrests for 409 PC, Failure to Disperse, last night. During the course of the arrests, three individuals identified themselves as members of the media. Additional individuals identified themselves as members of the National Lawyers Guild. All were released at scene without further action.

Two officers sustained minor injuries and received medical treatment and released.

During the course of the protests there was damage caused to a marked LAPD vehicle and Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell's office on Sunset Boulevard was vandalized.

There were instances where less lethal devices were fired by officers during protest activities in the surrounding community in response to projectiles thrown at officers. Less lethal projectiles used by officers included (3) rounds of 37 MM, (1) round of 40 MM, and (6) rounds of Bean bags.

This morning, the last two individuals remaining inside the park declined repeated offers for housing from the service providers. Both persons were arrested without incident for Los Angeles Municipal Code sections 63.44 (B) (26) (d) Prohibition on erecting a tent in a City park and 63.44 (B) (7) Prohibition on using park areas or facility for a purpose contrary or inconsistent to its specific or designated purpose.

The Los Angeles Police Department thanks the Echo Park community for their patience last night. The Department continues to be committed to supporting our social service partners and elected officials in providing effective shelter and services for those persons experiencing homelessness. Echo Park remains closed to the public as sanitation crews begin clean-up operations.

The department remains committed to facilitating freedom of speech and requests that individuals express their views peacefully and lawfully.

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Echo Park: On March 25, 2021, about 8:00 p.m., the Los Angeles Police Officers deployed to assist with the Echo Park closure encountered a large group of protestors near Lemoyne Street and Park Avenue in the vicinity of Echo Park Lake. Extraordinary efforts were made to allow for a peaceful assembly and display of 1st Amendment-protected activity. Unfortunately, several instigators in the crowd demonstrated a willful intent to disrupt the peaceful activity and began to use strobe lights against the officers, an activity that has the potential to cause significant injury to the eyes. An unlawful assembly was declared by the Incident Commander after the unlawful activity of individuals threatened the safety of the officers and all those present.

The declaration was announced at least 5 times in a period of at least 30 minutes. Additionally, after each declaration was voiced over loudspeakers, a request was made for each member of the media to identify themselves, remove themselves from the crowd, and walk to the pre-identified Crespo location at Park Avenue and Glendale Boulevard. The protesters failed to disperse, requiring officers to safely establish containment and begin detaining individuals one by one.

As members of the group were being individually detained, the officers learned that several credentialed and non-credentialed members of the media were part of the group. Members from the Department's Media Relations Division were summoned to assist in identifying these individuals and they were released at scene without being arrested.

The Department requests that media personnel follow the lawful orders of officers at the scene of any demonstration which has been declared unlawful, as delineated in California Penal

Code §409. In this incident, it was noted that most members of the media remained at the pre-designated Crespo location as requested.

The LAPD stands with our Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities

Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Police Department is deeply disturbed by the horrific shootings that occurred yesterday at a spa in Atlanta, Georgia.  There are currently no known threats of shootings or other violence against the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community members in the City of Los Angeles.  Although these events occurred yesterday, the department has been working diligently for years with community leadership within the AAPI community to improve the department’s response to hate crimes and hate incidents.  The department has further expanded this outreach since February in response to the outgrowth of hate.  These shocking shootings yesterday are an example of why it is so important for us to listen to our community partners and work with them on how we can better serve their needs.   

The department has a history in which leadership in the AAPI community and the LAPD have stood side by side in denouncing hate crimes, educating the community about the intolerance of the crimes and how to report them.  Additionally, these relationships have resulted in improvements in training and awareness of hate crimes within the department and an effective response.   

This history with the AAPI community can be traced back over 15 years with bi-annual forums in which the police conducted outreach and made efforts to educate the community regarding crime prevention and increased awareness about reporting hate crimes and hate incidents. The department identified liaison officers and assigned them to various communities, including the AAPI community, to improve communication and outreach efforts.  Over the years, that has evolved into a community led approach in which leadership within the AAPI community have increasingly brought awareness to the LAPD and taken on a greater role of identifying issues, outreach and education within their own communities.   

In February, the department began meeting with leadership and members within the AAPI community to discuss data sharing, current information, and ways to improve reporting.  Valuable input from these community leaders is helping LAPD to better understand how to improve training and an understanding of how to improve the reporting of hate incidents and hate crimes, while building greater trust within the AAPI community.   

The department is grateful for the leadership and insights provided by these community leaders which has resulted in re-evaluation of all aspects of training provided to officers in the field, so they can build the trust needed to give community members in the AAPI community the confidence that their reports will be taken seriously.  The department is currently developing command officer led working groups to create a resource card in partnership with the AAPI community and have it exportable as an app as well as posting on the LAPD website.   

The department has recently collaborated with community leaders and advocacy organizations in the AAPI community through the AAPI Safety Summit held on March 3, 2021, as well as through the Los Angeles General Managers meeting on March 9, 2021.  Thanks to valuable input from these community leaders within the AAPI community, the department began outreach efforts to media outlets using multi-lingual officers in hope of building trust and confidence within the AAPI community.  The department is deeply committed to working with members of the AAPI Community to better protect and serve their needs and the department Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer and Law Enforcement Association of Asian Pacific (LEAAP) leadership stand united and support the department’s efforts to improve the service we provide to the AAPI community.            

Recent efforts in light of the Atlanta shooting led to an abundance of caution in which the LAPD augmented the deployment of patrol officers and Senior Lead Officers on high visibility patrols on foot and in marked police vehicles in our AAPI communities.  There is also on-going outreach to members of the AAPI community to ensure the sharing of accurate information as we promote vigilance and a shared sense of awareness.  We ask the public to remain vigilant and if you see something, say something—it is everyone’s duty to report unusual activity in our communities and places of business.  Hate crime and hate incidents are a matter of great concern for the LAPD and we ask the members of our AAPI communities to report hate incidents promptly to the police.   

The Los Angeles Police Department proudly stands with our Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities as we denounce the killings that occurred yesterday in Atlanta.  While we continue to work closely, we look to deepen our relationship with the AAPI community and demonstrate our ongoing and enduring commitment to show support.   

Multi-Fatal Traffic Collision

North Hollywood:  The Los Angeles Police Department’s Valley Traffic Division detectives are seeking additional information regarding a fatal traffic collision.   

On Saturday, March 13, 2021, around 6:26 p.m., a  gray 2005 Saturn ION, with three occupants, was travelling southbound Vineland Avenue at Oxnard Street.  The vehicle crossed over onto the northbound traffic, ran off the roadway and collided with a pedestrian and parked vehicles.  Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to the scene of the collision and pronounced a pedestrian and one of the three passengers of the Saturn dead.  The occupants in the Saturn were transported to a local hospital for treatment.       

The identities of the decedents will be withheld pending notification to their next-of-kin.

Drivers are reminded to obey the rules of the road and to be alert and attentive while operating a motor vehicle and to drive at a safe speed.

Anyone with information about this collision is asked to contact Valley Traffic Detective II Buenaventura at 818-644-8035 or Officer Reyes at 818-644-8114.  During non-business hours, or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247).  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org.  Tipsters may also visit www.lapdonline.org, and click on “Anonymous Web Tips” under the Get Involved-Crime Stoppers” menu to submit an online tip.  Lastly, tipsters may also download the “P3 Tips” mobile application and select the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.    

Downtown L.A. Rally

Los Angeles:  During a rally in Downtown an altercation broke out amongst protestors and counter protestors.  

On March 13, 2021, around 11:15 a.m., Central area patrol officers responded to an altercation during a rally at First Street and Spring Street. The suspects and victims were involved in an argument. Two suspects took out OC spray and Bear spray to spray the victims. During the scuffle one victim set his belongings on the ground, when he looked back someone had taken his belongings. Upon further investigation the suspect was found in possession of the victim’s personal belongings.

 

The Los Angeles Fire Department Paramedics responded and treated both victims at scene for OC spray.   

A total of three protestors were arrested for the following charges:

 

Farah Martin Talab  

DOB: 8/12/94
242 PC Battery

Eric Smith
DOB: 7/9/96
242 PC Battery

Thrashawn Lee
DOB: 12/10/87
484 (a) Theft

The LAPD wants to remind the public that we are committed to ensuring everyone’s First Amendment Right to Freedom of Speech is protected during peaceful demonstrations, while also acting swiftly on any acts of violence.