True Cowan, 24, was killed in a Boyle Heights hit-and-run crash after a vehicle struck him. According to a KTLA news report, Cowan was struck at near the intersection of East Cesar Chavez Avenue and Chicago Street early morning on February 15, 2016. The victim was then dragged underneath the vehicle for more than 100 feet and his body only became dislodged when the vehicle drove into a driveway behind a business on Chicago Street.
The motorist backed out and fled northbound on Chicago without stopping to help the injured pedestrian. Cowan was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. The police don’t have a driver description or a description of the vehicle. But, they suspect, the vehicle could have damage to the left front and undercarriage. Police were checking with local businesses in the area to see if the fatal collision was captured on any of the neighboring surveillance cameras.
Recent Hit-and-Runs in Boyle Heights
This is the third deadly hit-and-run crash in Boyle Heights in just the last two months. On February 2, a mother was fatally struck and her 5-year-old daughter was seriously injured in a hit-and-run collision. On December 13, a nun was struck near her church by a hit-and-run driver. She died from her injuries a week later.
Holding Drivers Accountable
Based on this news report, it appears that the driver not only struck and dragged the pedestrian, but left him lying in the street and fled. Outrageous! Leaving the scene of a hit-and-run crash is a violation of California Vehicle Code 20001 (a). Motorists are required under the law to stop immediately after a crash, remain at the scene, exchange pertinent information with other parties and most importantly, help injured victims. The driver in this case did none of the above.
We certainly hope members of the public come forward with tips that will help officials apprehend this driver and bring him or her to justice. You could also visit our Hit-and-Run Reward website, hitandrunreward.com, to offer an anonymous tip and to become eligible for a $1,000 reward. Our hope as Los Angeles car accident attorneys is to put hit-and-run drivers on notice and eradicate this problem, which has risen to epidemic proportions, making Los Angeles the “hit-and-run capital” of the nation.