A 52-year-old man was killed in East Hollywood in the early hours of March 27 after being struck by a vehicle while crossing a major street, in a hit-and-run that police say included a second crash before the driver fled.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the collision happened around 3:45 a.m. near North Vermont Avenue just north of East 8th Street.
Investigators say Tommie Simpson III was walking east across Vermont Avenue outside of a crosswalk when he was hit by a light-colored sedan.
Rather than stop, the driver continued north on Vermont Avenue.
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Police say the same vehicle then collided with another car shortly after the initial impact.
Despite the second crash, the driver kept going and left both scenes.
Emergency personnel from the Los Angeles Fire Department responded, but Simpson was pronounced dead at the scene.
LAPD’s West Traffic Division has released surveillance video of the incident as detectives work to identify the suspect. The footage has also been posted to the department’s YouTube channel.
Anyone with information is urged to contact detectives at 213-473-0234. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS or lacrimestoppers.org.
