Man lighting fireworks dies after being struck, dragged by SUV

latimes.com

Los Angeles police are investigating a hit-and-run crash in Wilmington that killed a man who was lighting fireworks in the street.

(KTLA)

An SUV driver ran over a man lighting fireworks on a Wilmington street Monday night and dragged him 85 feet before fleeing, Los Angeles police said.

Paramedics were called to the 700 block of North Fries Avenue after 9:10 p.m. and declared the man dead at the scene.

Family members identified the man as Juan Arias, a 36-year-old father of three, NBC4 reported.

Witnesses described an SUV barreling down the street before colliding with Arias.

The driver fled down Fries Avenue without stopping and rendering aid as required by law, police said.

After Arias became dislodged from the SUV’s undercarriage, a second car leaving a nearby shopping center struck him and launched him into the air. The driver of that vehicle stopped and remained at the scene.

Los Angeles Police Department detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying the hit-and-run driver.

A reward of up to $50,000 is being offered to residents through the city’s Hit-and-Run Reward Program Trust Fund for any information leading to the suspect’s identification, arrest, or conviction.

Those with information are being asked to contact the LAPD’s South Traffic Division at (323) 421-2500.

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Gabriel San Román is a Metro reporter covering Orange County for the Los Angeles Times. He joined the news organization in 2021 as a feature writer for TimesOC, a Times Community News publication. San Román previously worked at OC Weekly – as a reporter, podcast producer and columnist – until the newspaper’s closing in late 2019. He also may just be the tallest Mexican in O.C.