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Good Samaritan Chases Down Driver In Fatal Hit-And-Run
A suspected hit-and-run driver is in custody today, partly thanks to a Good Samaritan, who chased down the man after seeing him hit a pedestrian in East Hollywood.
Tony Hoff told ABC 7 that he saw the accident, which happened around 2 a.m. this morning near the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Normandie Avenue and chased the driver after he attempted to flee the scene.
According to witnesses, the driver struck a male pedestrian, who was walking in the crosswalk.
The driver didn't stop, but sped down Santa Monica Boulevard, lost control and crashed into a parked car. The driver then fled on foot, running down Edgemont Street.
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"I ran as fast as I could down Edgemont looking for this guy, and there was another vehicle that was right behind us that followed me the whole way and put their high beams on, and searched the opposite side of the street while I was looking down the other side of the street," Hoff told ABC. "We found him and we brought him back."
Hoff said the suspect was talking on his cellphone when he caught up with him and that he appeared to be under the influence.
"At that point in time I also realized that he had blood—literally, he had blood on his hands—and a little bit of blood on his face from the actual accident," Hoff said.
The driver was videotaped being put into a police car with a neck brace.
The victim, who has not been identified, later died at a hospital, Los Angeles police Officer Rosario Herrera of the Media Relations office told City News Service.
Santa Monica Boulevard was closed until about 6:30 a.m. between Edgemont Street and Kenmore Avenue.
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