Police seek hit-and-run driver who killed 90-year old bike rider in April

A bad news day just got that much worse.

The LAPD has just released a dash cam video showing the hit-and-run death of a 90-year old bike rider in graphic detail.

Three months after the fact.

According to a video posted on the department’s YouTube page, Los Angeles resident Joo Yoon was riding in a marked crosswalk on Virgil at 6th Street around 5:10 pm on Saturday, April 27th; judging from the video, he appears to be headed west on 6th.

The light apparently turns green while he’s crossing the street. The bus driver recording the video waits for Yoon to finish crossing, while a driver in the right lane, whose view is apparently obstructed by the bus, blows through and hits the rider, who doesn’t move after the collision. Police report he died at a local hospital shortly afterwards.

The only thing harder to watch than the collision itself are the drivers who casually go around as a man lies dying in the street.

Police are looking for a a newer model Nissan GT-R, gun metal or dark grey, with 3″ white racing strip from front fender to tail light section, possibly on both sides, and damage to the front bumper area and hood — although that was likely fixed some time ago. They are also interested in a second vehicle, possibly a newer model black or dark colored Audi.

The suspect is described as an Asian man about 25-years old, with black hair and brown eyes, about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing around 180 to 190 pounds.

Anyone with information is urged to call LAPD West Traffic Detectives Willmon at (213) 473-0222.

This is the 50th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and 23rd in Los Angeles County, equalling the total for all of last year. It’s also the 8th bicycling death in the City of Los Angeles, which compares with 5 for each of the last two years.

My prayers and sympathy for Joo Yoon and all his loved ones.

11 comments

  1. Teresa Chaidez says:

    Watching this video clip, is heart breaking..
    How, why?
    Anger, that’s what I feel… Mr Joon, a husband, father, brother, uncle, friend…a human being.
    It kills me to see how the other vehicles, didn’t stop for help. A person life could have been saved. What is this world coming too…
    My stepfather Benjamin Torres was killed in a hit and run back in Oct 10, 2012. In the city of Gardena as well…
    I can only imagine the pain he suffered, he was killed early in the a.m 4:30ish. Coward is still on the loose.

    But this one,Mt. Joon, come on people lets spread the news. Sounds like a racing car to me..
    Hope and Pray they find the killer.. My condolences to the victims family… I know the pain and anger you’re feeling. Praying for Justice!

  2. Pat Benson says:

    I’m speechless. that is so upsetting

  3. JD says:

    4:30 am, lots of cops on their way to work at that hour.

  4. Biker395 says:

    There can’t be that many GTRs fitting that description in the county … with a little effort, it shouldn’t be too hard to find out who that was. Of course, he’ll probably have sobered up by then.

    • Biker395 says:

      WTF … that occurred in April of this year and they’re just releasing the video now?

      • bikinginla says:

        Yeah, that was my reaction, too. Give the damn driver three months to sober up, fix his car and hide all the evidence, then ask for our help to find him — let alone tell us a bike rider was killed.

        Nice job keeping us informed and working with the community, LAPD. Makes me wonder what the hell the bike liaisons are doing. Sgt. Krumer used to keep us informed about things like this.

  5. John says:

    That’s horrific to watch. I find all of the parties’ behavior disturbing at some level. First and foremost, the jagoff driving off, obviously — but also the cyclist entering the intersection late — as well as the people driving and pedestrians walk *around* the victim on the ground, with total disregard for human life.

  6. My jaw dropped when I saw that motorist run into the cyclist. Just *dropped*. I am stunned.

  7. paul says:

    my heart goes out to his family and friends.
    so hard to watch someone get hit like that and the driver not do anything…
    the driver’s gonna live with that forever.

  8. Whoop De Doos says:

    My condolences, too! Sorry, but the first image that comes to mind is the old guy who played Charlie’s father in 1972 film Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. Charlie’s father got hit… damn!

  9. […] As long as bicycles get in the way of cagers, the cagers are going to hate them and it won’t matter if you stop at the stop signs. They will still shoot you, hit you and run away, kill you, kill you, and then finally, yes, kill you. […]

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