KTLA

Police seek person of interest in South L.A. hit-and-run crash in which victim was fatally struck, dragged by tow truck

Police have identified a person of interest wanted for questioning in a South Los Angeles hit-and-run crash that left a pedestrian dead after he was dragged 180 feet.

The crash occurred about 9:55 p.m. Aug. 11 near the intersection of Broadway and 54th Street.


Osvaldo Dominguez Flores, 55, was walking against the “don’t walk” signal in a marked crosswalk on Broadway when a light-colored wrecker tow truck crashed into him. The victim was dragged before he was dislodged and eventually declared dead at the scene.

The driver of the tow truck allegedly briefly stopped, but left the scene without helping the victim.

Javier Garcia is shown in a photo released by the LAPD on Aug. 26, 2021. On the right, surveillance video of an Aug. 11 fatal hit-and-run crash.

Javier Garcia, aka Turtle, was identified Thursday as a person of interest in the case, police said in an updated news release.

Police believe he is still working as a tow truck driver.

Authorities also want to speak with a second tow truck driver who was behind Garcia’s vehicle and made a left turn onto 54th Street after possibly witnessing the crash, police said.

Garcia, 35, is described as being 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 215 pounds.

Anyone with information about the crash or the two tow truck drivers can call Detective Juan Campos at 213-833-3713 or email him at 31480@lapd.online.