San Pedro, United States— He was crossing the road when the car did not stop. A pedestrian was struck and killed early Monday in a hit-and-run on Gaffey Street in San Pedro. Police are hunting for the driver.
The crash happened around 5:15 a.m. on the 2600 block of South Gaffey Street, near Westmont. That stretch is busy even at dawn. Trucks head to the port. Commuters cut through to the freeway. Light was still low.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the pedestrian was walking outside a crosswalk when a northbound vehicle hit him. The driver kept going. No description of the vehicle was released immediately. Witnesses called 911.
Paramedics from the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived within minutes. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. His name was withheld pending family notification. He was described as in his 40s. Officers covered the body and diverted traffic.
"We have a person who was left in the road and the driver made a choice to leave," an LAPD traffic detective said. "We need anyone who saw anything, dashcam, anything, to come forward."
Gaffey Street was closed for several hours. Detectives measured skid marks and collected debris. A broken headlight fragment was bagged as evidence. LAPD's South Traffic Division is handling the case.
Residents said speeding is common there. One worker at a nearby gas station said he hears cars racing at night. Another said lighting is poor near that intersection. The city had received requests for a crosswalk upgrade last year.
Hit-and-runs have risen in Los Angeles. City data shows more than half of fatal pedestrian crashes involve a driver who flees. The LAPD said it will check surveillance from businesses along Gaffey Street.
Anyone with information was asked to call South Traffic or leave an anonymous tip.
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