A motorcycle traveling eastbound on Whittier Boulevard Thursday afternoon struck a 13-year-old male pedestrian who was at a marked crosswalk on Orme Avenue, and failed to stop and identify himself or render aid as the law requires.
The crash was reported Thursday on the Citizen app.
Vehicle Collision Involving Motorcycle @CitizenApp
Whittier Blvd & Orme Ave Yesterday 3:29:49 PM PDT
According to the Los Angeles Police, the motorcyclist collided with the pedestrian at roughly 3:27 p.m., causing the victim to fall to the ground. The suspect lost control of the motorcycle and “slid approximately 80 feet before stopping,” police said, but remounted on the motorcycle and fled the scene, still going eastbound on Whittier Boulevard.
The victim was later identified as Joshua Mora. According to several reports, he is an eighth grader and basketball player attending Hollenbeck Middle School.
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the incident and transported Mora to a local hospital, where he was admitted with severe injuries. His family told KTLA 5 he was in stable condition.
No description of the suspect, other than being a male, was reported. Images of the driver captured by a security video show the man wearing jeans, work boots and a gray jacket with a hoodie.
$25K Reward for info that leads to the arrest & conviction of driver. @KCBSKCALDesk @NBCLA @KTLAnewsdesk @ABC7 @FOXLA @TELEMUNDO52 @UniNoticias @Noticias62TV @knxnews @latimes @LaOpinionLA @boyleheightsbt @BoyleHeights_LA @BoyleHeightsNC @TheEastsiderLA @LACrimeStopper1 pic.twitter.com/fp88SmQ5xE
— LAPDCTD (@LAPDCTD24) April 1, 2023
Police said a reward of up to $25,000 is available to anyone that provides information leading to the suspect’s identification, arrest or conviction.
Police are urging anyone with information regarding the accident to contact Central Traffic Detective Daniel Ramirez at 213) 833-3713 or e-mail 39299@lapd.online. Those looking to remain anonymous should call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (1-800-222-8477) or visit www.lacrimestoppers.org.
A group of concerned Boyle Heights residents have created a form, looking to collect signatures to demand that council member Kevin de León and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation install a safer crosswalk at the Whittier Boulevard and Orme Avenue intersection.
