A hit-and-run crash left a 13-year-old boy severely injured with the loss of his right leg in Boyle Heights on Thursday afternoon.
The victim was identified as Joshua Mora, an eighth grader at Hollenbeck Middle School.
Mora was struck by a motorcyclist near the intersection of Whittier Boulevard and Orme Avenue around 3:27 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The impact had severed the boy’s leg, leaving him hospitalized with severe injuries.
The suspect, described as a white male, was riding his motorcycle when he lost control and struck Mora who was using a crosswalk at the time, authorities said.
The suspect “slid approximately 80 feet before stopping,” police said. He then got back on his bike and rode away, leaving the injured boy lying on the road.
Locals in the area say the crash happened in an intersection that is known to be dangerous. The lone crosswalk boasts no signal lights or visible traffic signs.
A woman who worked in a nearby restaurant told KTLA the victim appeared to be in shock moments after the accident and was struggling to stand up but couldn’t. She called the police for help and paramedics arrived shortly.
A nearby business shared surveillance footage of what is believed to be the motorcyclist seen just moments before the collision. The suspect was heading eastbound on Whittier Boulevard.
Locals say they’ve been appealing to city leaders and local representatives for quite some time to improve conditions at the intersection.
Danny Zelaya works at nearby Boulevard Café and says a car nearly ran over him when he was using that same crosswalk recently.
“It’s dangerous. People don’t stop,” said Zelaya. “They need to have a light. [The crosswalk] is not enough. It’s not safe.”
“It’s extremely dangerous,” said Angela Funk, a Boyle Heights resident. “Sometimes, I have to wave people down to get them to stop. There’s a high school and a middle school right across the street. It’s very sad to me that someone got hurt.”
Residents tell KTLA they would like to see a stoplight or stop signs installed at the crosswalk or at the minimum, some flashing lights lining the crosswalk that pedestrians can activate with a button.
The boy remains in stable condition on Thursday night, his family confirmed. The suspect remains at large.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Daniel Ramirez at 213-833-3713 or e-mail 39299@lapd.online. Anonymous tips can be submitted to “L.A. Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
A reward of $25,000 may be available for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.