A Los Angeles woman has been killed in a collision with a FedEx driver in the Newton Area.
KTLA-5 reports the victim was riding her bike east on Washington Blvd at Staunton Ave around 8:40 Thursday morning, when the northbound FedEx truck pulled out from a stop sign on Staunton.
Witnesses reported that she was directly in front of the truck. Yet somehow, the driver apparently failed to the woman her on her bike.
He kept going following the impact, dragging the victim under the truck, then continued without stopping.
She was pronounced dead at the scene, left to die in the middle of the intersection.
The LAPD has identified the victim as 54-year old Elisa Gomez.
Police have found the suspected FedEx driver, who has been detained for questioning.
According to KTLA-5, LAPD Capt. Alfonso Lopez suggested he could be looking at a manslaughter charge.
It was not immediately known whether the driver saw the cyclist, but “based on the physical evidence at scene and based on the officer’s expertise, and the construction of the traffic collision, it is our belief that the driver of the vehicle would have, or could have, or should have known that he had struck an individual,” the captain said…
“Had this individual stayed at scene and rendered aid — or at least called somebody and cooperated — and remained at scene, it would be looked at as a traffic collision,” Lopez said. “The fact that his individual failed to stay at scene and then fled makes us look at it now like a hit-and-run investigation, leading to a manslaughter case.”
Anyone with information is urged to call LAPD Detective Calvin Dehesa at 213/486-0750 or the Central Traffic Division Detectives 213/833-3713.
This is the eleventh bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth in Los Angeles County. It’s also the fourth in the City of Los Angeles since the start of the year.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Elisa Gomez and all her loved ones.
