Woman, 77, Dies in Suspected Hit-Run Accident; Man Held

MISSION HILLS — A 77-year-old woman was killed Saturday and a man was arrested after a suspected hit-and-run accident, authorities said.

The woman died of head injuries after being thrown from her car when it was struck by a van, said Bob Collis, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The 36-year-old driver of the van suffered a broken leg and was arrested on suspicion of hit-and-run driving about half a block away from the site of the crash, said Sgt. Rod Grahek of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Valley Traffic Division.

He said investigators were trying to determine if the man was under the influence of alcohol.

Police did not identify the dead woman or the driver of the van.

The accident occurred at about 6:20 p.m. at the intersection of South Brand Boulevard and Columbus Avenue, according to authorities.

The woman was southbound on Columbus when her car was struck by the van traveling eastbound on South Brand, Grahek said.

The woman was ejected from her car despite wearing a seat belt and died after hitting the pavement, Collis said.

Witnesses told detectives that the driver of the van stopped briefly and seemed to look at the wreckage before speeding away. But he pulled over about half a block away because he could not continue driving, Grahek said.

Paramedics pronounced the woman dead at the scene, Collis said.

The man was taken to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills and placed under arrest, Grahek said.

The incident remained under investigation.