Street takeover at Manchester and San Pedro
Los Angeles police detectives are asking for the public's help to identify a motorist involved in a South Los Angeles street takeover, as well as a woman who is seen on video being struck by the suspect's vehicle and appearing to have been seriously injured.
The takeover occurred on the evening of April 13 at the intersection of Manchester Avenue and San Pedro Street, with at least one vehicle seen on video doing dangerous maneuvers, including “donuts,'' as hundreds of people crowd the area to watch.
Video released by the LAPD shows a red Infiniti G37 car swerving wildly in a circle around the intersection, striking a group of people who were among the crowd of onlookers. One female bystander, whose face can be clearly seen on the video before she was struck, was thrown to the pavement and appeared to be bleeding from the head and unconscious, police said.
Police said bystanders later picked up the injured bystander and carried her away from the scene. But it's unknown where she was taken.
LAPD Detective Ryan Moreno told reporters that investigators have been unable to identify the bystander, despite the relatively clear image of her face prior to the impact. He said detectives have reached out to area hospitals and the medical examiner's office, but have not found any cases of seriously injured female patients. Facial-recognition software has also been unable to identify her, he said.
Detectives fear the woman may be still in need of medical help, or possibly even dead, and they're hoping the public can help identify her.
Investigators said a second female bystander also appeared to be badly injured in the video. Police were also asking for help finding the motorist who was involved in the street takeover and struck the bystanders, saying the driver is a hit-and-run suspect.
The city of Los Angeles has a standing $25,000 reward offer for information leading to suspects involved in injury hit-and-run crashes.
Police asked anyone with information about the driver or the women who were injured in the crash to contact Moreno at LAPD's South Traffic Division at (424) 298-7898. Tips can also be submitted through www.lacrimestoppers.org.
