Published: September 23, 2026
By: Yaghmai Law Firm, APC
(Los Angeles, CA) – A 16-year-old boy was killed and his 14-year-old sister was seriously hurt when a driver struck the two teenagers in the Hyde Park area of South Los Angeles and then fled, the Los Angeles Police Department said.
According to the LAPD, the teens were crossing 60th Street alongside their mother at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 5900 block of 10th Avenue when they were hit. Police said a blue Nissan Sentra heading east on 60th Street struck the pair. The department reported that the vehicle was a rental car, according to NBC Los Angeles.
The 16-year-old died at the scene, police said. His younger sister was transported to a hospital; NBC Los Angeles reported she was listed in stable condition. Investigators said the teens' mother was not hit.
After the impact, the Sentra kept going and hit a parked vehicle before it stopped working, police said. A woman who had been driving and a male passenger then got out and ran off, according to the LAPD. As of Wednesday, officers were still looking for both people, and police had not put out a detailed description of either one.
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 Hyde Park Pedestrian Collision
When a driver leaves the scene of a crash that injures or kills someone, California law treats that departure as a serious matter separate from how the collision itself occurred. Under Vehicle Code section 20001, a driver involved in a crash causing injury or death must immediately stop and fulfill the identification and assistance obligations set out in Vehicle Code section 20003. Those duties include giving identifying information and rendering reasonable aid to anyone hurt. A violation of section 20001 is charged as a felony, and investigators in a fleeing-driver case typically work to identify the vehicle and its occupants before those questions can be resolved.
If an unidentified driver is eventually located, a civil claim would examine whether ordinary care was exercised. Civil Code section 1714 makes a person responsible for injuries caused by a lack of ordinary care. Where a statute is violated, Evidence Code section 669 may allow a presumption of negligence when that violation proximately causes the type of harm the law was meant to prevent and the injured person is within the protected class. Pedestrian right-of-way rules under Vehicle Code section 21950 and the basic speed law under Vehicle Code section 22350 are among the standards investigators and, later, a court may consider in evaluating conduct on the roadway.
Because the driver here remains unidentified, insurance can become central. Insurance Code section 11580.2 requires California auto policies to include uninsured motorist coverage unless the policyholder rejects it in writing, and that coverage can apply when the responsible driver is unknown, including in a hit-and-run. Where a death results, California law also provides civil remedies: a wrongful death action may be brought by certain surviving family members under Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60, and the measure of recoverable damages is governed by Civil Code section 3333. None of this establishes fault in this incident, which remains under investigation.
What Families and Survivors Can Do
After a hit-and-run, families and injured survivors can take several practical steps: request the LAPD collision report once it is available, preserve any nearby surveillance or doorbell video before it is overwritten, keep medical records documenting the injuries, and check their own auto policies for uninsured motorist coverage that may apply when a driver flees. It also helps to note the two-year deadline for most personal injury claims under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, since evidence and time limits can matter early on.
Were you, or someone you love, involved in this crash? A California 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. Patch – Teen Siblings Struck By Hit-And-Run Driver, 1 Killed: LAPD
2. ABC7 – Teen boy killed, sister injured in hit-and-run crash in Hyde Park, Los Angeles – ABC7 Los Angeles
