What to Know
- A man was in a coma after being struck by a motorist who drove off.
- The hit and run happened Tuesday night in Silver Lake when Velasquez and a passenger on a scooter were rear-ended.
- Police were looking for the driver of a silver BMW and a passenger was also inside the car at the time of the crash.
Police released video Thursday of a hit-and-run collision between a car and a moped-type scooter in Silver Lake that left a 34-year-old man in a coma.
The victim was struck about 8:55 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Glendale Boulevard and Waverly Drive, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. A gray 2019 BMW 5 Series sedan struck the rear of the scooter, which had two people aboard, as the car approached the intersection, police said.
"Bystanders called for paramedics and the passenger was transported to a hospital, where he currently remains in a coma," according to a police statement.
Surveillance video shows the BMW dragging the scooter, then backing up and briefly stopping before leaving the scene. It was unclear if the operator or the passenger were wearing helmets. The comatose man was identified as Edras Velasquez, a father of two.
Doctors told his wife he would not survive, and the family is deciding whether to remove him from life support.
The driver was described as a 35- to 40-year-old, heavy-set male with a beard and dark features. There was a female in the front passenger seat, police said.
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"Detectives are trying to determine if there are additional witnesses with cell phone video or any information that will identify and assist with locating the suspected driver the BMW," according to the LAPD.
Anyone with video or information that could help investigators find the driver was urged to call Detective Moses Castillo of the LAPD's Central Traffic Division at (213) 833-3713. After-hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to (877) 222-TIPS. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers by calling (800) 222-TIPS or at lacrimestoppers.org.
