Published: September 18, 2026
By: Yaghmai Law Firm, APC
(Long Beach, CA) – A person using a wheelchair was struck and killed in a hit-and-run crash in Long Beach early Friday, and police later detained the driver of a BMW believed to have fled the scene.
The collision was reported just after 12:30 a.m. near East 7th Street and Pacific Coast Highway, a Long Beach Police Department spokesperson told KTLA. Officers who arrived found the victim lying in the roadway with severe traumatic injuries to the upper body and started providing aid.
Long Beach Fire Department crews also came to the scene and treated the victim, who did not survive and was declared dead there, according to the spokesperson. Footage captured after the crash showed the victim's wheelchair mangled in the street a short distance away.
Witnesses reported to police that the driver was in a white sedan that headed south on Pacific Coast Highway after the crash. Officers soon found the vehicle and stopped the driver, described only as an adult, close to East 2nd Street and Pacific Coast Highway. A white BMW seen in video had heavy front-end damage and a crushed hood.
Police withheld the driver's name, and it was not yet known whether speed or impairment was involved. East 7th Street was shut in both directions between Bellflower Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway while investigators worked.
Know Your Rights After a Crash
After a serious crash, California law gives injured people and families limited time to act. Evidence like vehicle data, camera footage, and witness memories fades quickly. A free, no-obligation case review can help you understand your options. Call or text (888) 800-6731, or start a free case review online. Asistencia en español disponible.
Analysis of the Long Beach Hit-and-Run Collision
When a crash results in injury or death, California law imposes clear duties on every driver involved. Under Vehicle Code section 20001, a driver in a collision causing injury or death must immediately stop and remain at the scene; failing to do so is a felony. Related duties in Vehicle Code section 20003 require a driver to give identifying information to those involved and to responding officers and to render reasonable assistance to anyone hurt. Investigators in a case like this one typically work to confirm which vehicle was involved and whether the driver satisfied these obligations before leaving.
Separate from any criminal question, a fatal collision can give rise to civil claims. California's general negligence rule in Civil Code section 1714(a) holds a person responsible for injuries caused by a lack of ordinary care. If evidence were to show that a driver operated a vehicle at an unsafe speed for the conditions, the Basic Speed Law in Vehicle Code section 22350 could become part of the analysis, and Evidence Code section 669 allows a presumption of negligence when a driver violates a safety statute that proximately causes the kind of harm the statute was meant to prevent. Any such determination depends entirely on the facts developed through the official investigation.
Where a death results from a collision, Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60 identifies the family members who may bring a wrongful death claim, and section 377.30 addresses survival actions that pass to a decedent's successor in interest. The measure of recoverable damages is governed by Civil Code section 3333, and any allocation of non-economic damages among multiple parties would be handled under Civil Code section 1431.2. Because a suspected hit-and-run driver may be uninsured or initially unidentified, Insurance Code section 11580.2 can also be relevant: uninsured motorist coverage may allow an injured party or eligible heirs to seek compensation through their own policy when the responsible driver is unknown or lacks insurance.
What Families and Survivors Can Do
Families affected by a fatal hit-and-run can take several practical steps while an investigation continues: request the official collision report from the Long Beach Police Department, preserve any available video or witness information, and keep records of medical and funeral expenses. California's two-year deadline for personal injury and wrongful death actions under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 makes early attention important, and reviewing available uninsured motorist coverage can matter when a driver's insurance status is unclear. Anyone with questions about their rights after a serious or fatal crash can reach out for a confidential review of the circumstances.
Were you, or someone you love, involved in this crash? A Long Beach Car Accident Lawyer at Yaghmai Law Firm can explain your options and deal with the insurance companies for you. Call or text (888) 800-6731 or request a free case review.
About the Author
Houtan Yaghmai, Esq., President & Managing Attorney of Yaghmai Law Firm, APC. California State Bar No. 298487. Speaks English, French, and Persian. The firm represents personal injury clients throughout Southern California – consultations by phone, text, or video, no office visits required.
This post was assembled with AI assistance from publicly reported news sources cited below. All California Vehicle Code references were verified against leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Facts were re-checked via additional web searches before publication. This post is based on initial news reports and may be updated as new facts develop. Nothing in this article is legal advice. Yaghmai Law Firm, APC is not associated with the investigating agencies and does not represent any party named in this post unless explicitly stated.
Sources:
1. KTLA 5 – BMW driver detained after fatal wheelchair hit-and-run on PCH
