Authorities are offering a $50,000 reward for information in a South Los Angeles street takeover that left a woman dead on Christmas Day.
The deadly incident occurred around 9 p.m. Sunday during a large street takeover at the intersection of Florence Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Three vehicles were speeding and doing donuts when the driver of one of the cars, a black Chevy Camaro, lost control and crashed into a crowd standing on the sidewalk.
A 24-year-old woman was taken to a hospital and later died from her injuries. Police say the impact left the woman pinned between a light pole and the Camaro.
Her family identified her as Elyzza Guajaca. Her brothers described her as the family peacemaker and said she wanted to be a nurse.
Surveillance video released by police Wednesday shows the Camaro driver, who was wearing a red t-shirt, get out of the car, get into a scuffle with the crowd and run away, police said.
Authorities believe six to seven more people may have also been injured that night. Surveillance video obtained as part of the investigation shows at least three of those were critically injured, some were clearly unconscious, police said.
LAPD Detective Ryan Moreno said Wednesday that street takeovers put the community in danger.
“People are getting ran over, hit, people are getting attacked, assaulted. We’re waiting, like, ‘Where’s the police report?,’ and they never come forward,” Moreno said. “It’s kind of sick in a way. This culture is, that’s kind of what they do. It’s kind of like a code I guess they go by, where somebody would get beaten nearly to death and they don’t come forward to be a victim.”
Police have since taken custody of the Camaro involved in the deadly crash while reviewing dozens of videos they’ve since received of the suspect and that chaotic night.
Authorities have released more footage from that night, hoping someone will recognize the suspect.
