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Woman In Critical Condition After Highland Park Hit-And-Run [Updated]
A woman struck by a hit-and-run driver in Highland Park on Friday night was carried 50 feet on the hood of the car before falling off.
According to KCAL, the woman, who remains in critical condition, was crossing the street at a marked crosswalk in the 5500 block of North Figueroa Street around 10 p.m. when a white Mitsubishi Lancer hit her. Witnesses say the man driving the car briefly pulled over and got out of his car to remove his license plates before fleeing the scene.
The suspect is described as a 40-year-old Hispanic man around 5 feet tall, who was wearing a light blue tank top and jeans, police said. In addition to having no license plates, the white four-door Mitsubishi also has a broken windshield.
Highland Park neighbors told KCAL that though the crosswalk is marked, many drivers fail to acknowledge it.
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Update 9/23, 4:55 p.m.: According to The Eastsider, the woman, identified as 51-year-old Irma Yolanda Espinoza-Lugo has died due to her injuries.
LAPD Central Traffic Division's Detective Michael Kaden said the vehicle in question has been recovered, and that police are close to confirming the identity of the driver. He declined to identify the location of the car, but said it was far from the scene of the crash. Kaden also said the suspect faces charges of vehicular manslaughter and felony hit-and-run.
A fundraising website has been set up to help Espinoza-Lugo's family pay for medical and funeral costs. According to the website, Espinoza-Luga worked at the Highland Park Guest Home, a retirement home, for 20 years.
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