Man in wheelchair fatally struck in Whittier Boulevard hit-and-run

PICO RIVERA — A hit-and-run driver fatally struck a man in a wheelchair on Whittier Boulevard in Pico Rivera early Friday, authorities said.
The man’s identity was unknown Friday morning, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said. He was initially described as a Latino man in his 50s.
The fatal collision was reported just before 3:50 a.m. on Whittier Boulevard, at a railroad overcrossing just west of Paramount Boulevard, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Robert Smith said.
The man was in the westbound No. 2 lane when struck, the lieutenant said.
Little information was initially available regarding the hit-and-run vehicle.
“It’s a possibly gray Mitsubishi,” Smith said. “It’s going to have front end damage, and possibly undercarriage damage.”
The driver of a passenger bus reported the hit-and-run, but was unable to get a good look at the involved vehicle, officials said.
It initially appeared the pedestrian was crossing the street when he was struck, though the investigation remained in its early stages.
There is no crosswalk at the point where the man was struck, and the road is lined by high curbs both on the sides and at the center median, Smith said. The sidewalk alongside the road is angled at a steep incline.
Investigators had not ruled out the possibility that the man ended up in the roadway after losing control of his wheelchair on the downhill sidewalk, Smith added.
Anyone with information was asked to contact the sheriff’s Pico Rivera Station at 562-949-2421.

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