Motorcyclist Killed in South LA Broadway Hit-and-Run Crash

Published: August 17, 2026
By: Yaghmai Law Firm, APC

(Los Angeles, CA) – A motorcyclist died early Sunday after a hit-and-run driver struck him on Broadway near 91st Street in South Los Angeles, according to police.

The Los Angeles Police Department said in a news release that the collision took place around 3:35 a.m. A 49-year-old man was riding his motorcycle southbound on Broadway, just south of 91st Street, and was attempting a U-turn when a white sedan hit him, officers said.

According to police, the rider sustained fatal injuries and did not survive. Investigators said his identity was being withheld until relatives could be notified.

The driver of the sedan left the scene and headed in a direction that officers were unable to determine, according to the LAPD. In its statement, the department reminded drivers that anyone involved in a collision should stop when it is safe, contact emergency responders, and stay to provide their information. Police said a reward of as much as $50,000 may be paid to anyone whose information helps identify, arrest, and convict the driver under a city hit-and-run reward program. The LAPD asked anyone with details to contact its investigators at 323-421-2577.

Analysis of the Broadway Hit-and-Run Collision

When a driver leaves the scene of a crash that kills or injures someone, California law treats that conduct seriously. Vehicle Code section 20001 requires a driver involved in a collision resulting in injury or death to stop immediately and to fulfill the duties set out in Vehicle Code section 20003, which include exchanging identifying information and rendering reasonable aid to anyone hurt. A violation can be charged as a felony. These statutes describe legal duties only; whether they were breached here is a question for the investigation, and no conclusion about fault can be drawn from the facts released so far.

Separately, civil liability in California turns on ordinary care. Civil Code section 1714(a) provides that a person is responsible for harm caused by a lack of ordinary care, subject to the injured person's own share of responsibility. If a driver is eventually identified and evidence shows a failure to exercise due care, a court could examine that conduct under this general negligence framework. Where a driver is shown to have violated a safety statute, Evidence Code section 669 allows a rebuttable presumption of negligence when the violation caused the type of harm the statute was meant to prevent and the victim was among those it protects. How much any party contributed to a loss is allocated under the comparative-fault principles of Civil Code section 1431.2.

A distinct problem in hit-and-run cases is that the responsible driver may never be found. California addresses this through Insurance Code section 11580.2, which requires that auto policies include uninsured motorist coverage unless the insured declined it in writing. That coverage can allow an insured, or in a fatal case certain surviving heirs, to pursue bodily-injury compensation from their own policy when the at-fault motorist is unidentified, as in a hit-and-run. Because a death occurred here, the wrongful-death provisions of Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60 and the survival provisions of section 377.30 may also govern who could bring a claim, with damages measured under Civil Code section 3333.

What Families and Riders Can Do

Families facing the loss of a loved one in an unsolved hit-and-run can take several steps to protect their options. Requesting a copy of the LAPD collision report, preserving any dashcam or surveillance footage from nearby businesses, and identifying possible witnesses can all help both the criminal investigation and a later civil claim. It is also worth reviewing the deceased's and household members' auto policies for uninsured-motorist coverage, which may apply when a driver flees. California's two-year personal-injury deadline under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 can limit the time to act, so families with questions about their rights may wish to speak with an attorney sooner rather than later. Were you, or someone you love, involved in this crash? A California motorcycle 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.

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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. CBS News – Los Angeles motorcyclist killed by hit-and-run driver, LAPD says