The Los Angeles Police Department has released video of a fatal collision involving a marked LAPD car and a pedestrian.
According to the LAPD, an officer with the Community Safety Partnership Bureau was driving their marked police vehicle eastbound on Century Boulevard at 5 p.m. on Dec. 8, 2023, with its emergency lights on.
As the officer approached the green light on Century Boulevard at the intersection with McKinley Avenue, they struck a male pedestrian who was running southbound on Century approximately 75 feet outside of the marked crosswalk, police said.
The squad car immediately stopped after the collision, video shows, and the officer can be seen quickly running towards the man to begin rendering aid.
The pedestrian was taken to a nearby hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries, authorities confirmed.
Although he had no form of identification on his person when he died, the LAPD was able to identify the deceased him as Luis Espinoza, 26, of Long Beach.
The LAPD’s Multi-Disciplinary Collision Investigation Team (MCIT) led the investigation and presented their findings to the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office for filing considerations, the department said.
“While we are in the very preliminary stages of the investigation, I have very serious concerns regarding the officer’s driving leading up to the collision,” LAPD Chief Michel Moore said in a statement. “An Internal Affairs Investigation has been initiated and additional information will be provided as it becomes available.”
Anyone with information on the fatal collision is asked to contact LAPD Traffic Group Detectives at 213-486-0690.
During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-527-3247.
To submit information anonymously, call L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or visit their website.
To learn more about how the Los Angeles Police Department investigates traffic collisions, visit www.lapdonline.org
