The case of a 72-year-old man who was killed in a hit-and-run crash in North Hollywood over the weekend took a bizarre turn on Monday, when police said they found some of the victim’s possessions in a Panorama City man’s car.
Investigators were led to the second man, Adrian Cervantes, after he was involved in an unrelated traffic accident on I-5 about two hours after the 72-year-old was hit, said LAPD Sgt. Larry Jones.
A search of Cervantes’ black GMC SUV turned up property belonging to the 72-year-old, whose name has not yet been released, Jones said.
The 72-year-old was on foot, crossing Lankershim Boulevard at about 5 a.m. on Sunday when he was struck and killed, Jones said. He was not in a crosswalk.
It is not clear why Cervantes, who is 21, had the man’s property in his car, although police speculate that it he may have stopped at the scene of the collision that killed the older man and removed identifying information.
It is also possible that Cervantes may have stopped after the initial collision to change a tire before continuing on his way, Jones said.
Cervantes was booked on suspicion of felony hit-and-run, and is being treated for injuries from the I-5 collision at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, Jones said.
