California Injury Blog
Larry Dean Hughes, 62, was fatally injured in a Los Angeles car accident after a Ford Mustang struck him and left the scene of the crash. According to a City News Service report, the major injury pedestrian accident occurred at the intersection of Exposition Boulevard at Normandie Avenue in Los Angeles, the early morning of November 21, 2011. LAPD officials say Hughes was walking south on Normandie Avenue while crossing Exposition in a marked crosswalk, when the Mustang hit him. The Mustang made a right turn onto Exposition and kept driving without stopping to help the injured pedestrian.
A second driver, who was eastbound on Exposition, then struck Hughes. That driver stopped to help the victim. Hughes was transported to an area hospital where he died from his injuries. Officials are searching for a newer model white Mustang with tinted windows and possible front-end damage. Anyone who has information is asked to contact LAPD’s South Traffic Division at 323-421-2500. Anonymous tips are welcome.
I offer my deepest condolences to the family members and friends of Larry Dean Hughes, the victim of this hit-and-run car accident. Please keep Hughes’ grieving family in your thoughts and prayers.
Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 82 fatalities and 2,630 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in the city of Los Angeles. Countywide, pedestrian accidents claimed 179 lives and caused 4,918 injuries, during the same year.
Leaving the Scene of a Crash
Based on this news report, not only did the motorist fail to yield the right of way to a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk, but also hit and critically injured him, before fleeing the scene. The suspect left the injured pedestrian lying on the roadway exposed to further danger. Despicable! Leaving the scene of an injury collision is in my opinion both, an unconscionable and irresponsible act, as well as illegal under California Vehicle Code Section 20001 (a).
Holding Wrongdoers Accountable
I trust officials will soon apprehend the driver of the Mustang and bring him or her to justice. If you have any information about the suspect in this case, please visit our dedicated hit-and-run web site at www.hitandrunreward.com to offer an anonymous tip and also become eligible for a $1,000 reward.
The family of a deceased hit-and-run accident victim would be well advised to contact an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, who will stay abreast of the official investigation and ensure that their legal rights and best interests are protected. A skilled car accident attorney will better inform families in such cases about how their own auto insurance policy applies to an incident where the suspect is not found, or, in a crash where the at-fault motorist is uninsured or underinsured.