The Los Angeles Police Department and the family of a pedestrian are asking for the public’s help in finding the driver of a Tesla that is responsible for the crash that happened in the Pico-Union area.
Fox 11 in Los Angeles reports that the accident happened at the intersection of Lake Street and Olympic Boulevard at approximately 10:45 p.m. on November 21st. Emilio Perez, 34, was crossing the street when he was struck by a light-colored Tesla Model 3.
The vehicle did not stop after hitting Perez.
Paramedics rushed Perez to an area hospital where he later died as a result of injuries he suffered in the crash.
According to Detective Moses Castillo of the LAPD, investigators released footage of the fatal crash to the public. A short time later, the vehicle was spotted in the 1800 block of South St. Andrews Place in the Pico-Union Harvard Heights neighborhood. An eyewitness told investigators that a woman arrived and placed a car cover over the vehicle.
Video security footage shows the driver of the Tesla abandoning the vehicle and getting into another car approximately 15 minutes after the fatal crash.
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Officials report that the Tesla was being rented by Vanessa Gutierrez, 35, and Destiny Williams. Police are saying that Gutierrez and Williams are persons of interest in relation to the fatal collision. The driver of the second vehicle and the woman that covered the car are also being sought for questioning and for their role in helping the hit-and-run driver to evade arrest and concealing or tampering with evidence in a motor vehicle fatality.
Police and surviving family members are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Castillo at (213) 833-3713 or contact him directly by email at 30215@lapd.online or contact the authorities anonymously through Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS,
Call or text (310) 896-2723 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form