Killed or Hurt on an E-Scooter by a Hit-and-Run Driver in Los Angeles: Who Pays

On Friday night, October 9, 2026, a person was fatally struck by a hit-and-run driver on Broadway in the Florence neighborhood of South Los Angeles, according to NBC Los Angeles, citing the Los Angeles Police Department. A witness described the person as a man on an electric scooter. As of the latest report, police were still looking for the drivers.

Update, Oct. 11, 2026: According to CBS Los Angeles, police say the rider was in the crosswalk when he was struck and dragged about 700 feet by a first vehicle, then about 200 more feet by a second vehicle. Both drivers are still being sought, and a standing reward of up to $50,000 is available for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Anyone with information can contact LAPD.

Our thoughts are with the rider’s family and everyone who loved him. This page does not discuss who he was. It explains, in general terms, what California law offers families and riders when a driver hits someone on an e-scooter and drives away.

In plain terms: A hit-and-run happens when a driver involved in a crash that injures or kills someone does not stop as the law requires. Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage is part of a California auto insurance policy that can pay for bodily injury or wrongful death caused by an uninsured driver, including, under specific conditions, a driver who is never identified.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Crash details below are limited to what has been publicly reported.

If you or someone you love was hurt or killed by a driver who fled anywhere in California, Win Attorneys handles hit-and-run claims, pedestrian and micromobility accidents, e-bike accidents, UM and UIM claims, and wrongful death and catastrophic injury matters statewide. If you were hurt, seek medical care first.

Talk to us at (562) 296-5380 or reach out through our contact page for a free case review. Office: 17291 Irvine Blvd., Suite 210, Tustin, CA 92780.

What Has Been Reported About the South LA Crash

NBC Los Angeles reported the following on October 9, 2026, citing police and a witness:

When: the crash was reported just before 10 p.m. on Friday, October 9.
Where: Broadway in the Florence neighborhood of South Los Angeles. Broadway was closed in both directions between 85th Place and 83rd Street.
Who: officials did not provide details about the person who died. A witness described him as a man on an electric scooter.
The driver: police said the first vehicle was black, possibly a sedan, with damage to the front, and a second vehicle also struck the rider. Both drivers are still being sought.
Status: the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information should contact the Los Angeles Police Department. Even a small detail, such as a partial plate or a car seen with fresh front-end damage, can help investigators.

Leaving the Scene Is a Crime in California

California Vehicle Code section 20001 requires the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to another person or death to immediately stop at the scene and fulfill the requirements of Vehicle Code sections 20003 and 20004. When the crash results in death or permanent, serious injury, the statute provides for state prison time of two, three, or four years, county jail time, a fine, or both imprisonment and a fine.

A criminal case punishes the driver. It does not by itself compensate the family. That is where civil claims and insurance come in.

Who Pays When the Hit-and-Run Driver Is Never Found

When the driver is identified, the family or injured rider may bring a claim against that driver and any insurance that covers the vehicle. When the driver is never found, the most common source of recovery is uninsured motorist coverage.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage and the Physical Contact Rule

California Insurance Code section 11580.2 requires auto liability policies issued in the state to include UM coverage for bodily injury or wrongful death caused by the owner or operator of an uninsured motor vehicle, unless the insurer and the named insured agree in writing, in the form the statute requires, to delete or reduce it.

The statute treats a vehicle whose owner or operator is unknown as an uninsured motor vehicle, but only if two conditions are met:

Physical contact. The bodily injury must have arisen out of physical contact of the automobile with the insured or with an automobile the insured is occupying.
Reporting. The insured, or someone on their behalf, must have reported the accident within 24 hours to the police department of the city where it happened, or, in unincorporated territory, to the county sheriff or the local California Highway Patrol headquarters. The insured must also file with the insurer, within 30 days after that, a statement under oath that the insured, their legal representative, or their heirs have a cause of action against a person whose identity cannot be determined, with supporting facts.

In many fatal crashes, police respond to the scene. Families should still get the report number and confirm a report was made, and talk with counsel quickly about the sworn statement to the insurer.

Whose Policy Might Apply to a Scooter Rider

E-scooter riders often ask whether car insurance can help when they were not in a car. The statute’s definition of “insured,” when the named insured is an individual, includes the named insured, the named insured’s spouse, and relatives of either who live in the same household, “while occupants of a motor vehicle or otherwise.” It also covers heirs.

That means a rider’s own auto policy, or a policy held by a spouse or a relative in the same household, may be worth reviewing. But each policy’s definitions, exclusions, and limits control, and we do not assume coverage for any specific rider or vehicle. If the scooter was a rental or shared device, the operator’s terms and any coverage it carries are another thing counsel can review.

Other Possible Sources

MedPay. Medical payments coverage on an auto policy may help with medical bills, depending on the policy. See our guide to California MedPay benefits.
Health insurance may pay for treatment, subject to repayment rights.
The driver, if identified. If police find the driver, a claim can proceed against that driver and any applicable liability insurance, with UM as a possible backup if coverage is too low.
Public entities. If a road condition may have contributed, a written government claim is generally due within six months. See California government claims filed too early for timing traps.

UM Claims Have Their Own Rules and Deadlines

UM claims are made against your own insurer, but that does not make them simple. Section 11580.2 sets several rules:

Arbitration of disputes. If you and the insurer cannot agree on whether you are entitled to recover or how much, the policy must provide for arbitration before a single neutral arbitrator.
Two-year action requirement. Under subdivision (i), no cause of action accrues under UM coverage unless, within two years from the date of the accident, a lawsuit for bodily injury has been filed against the uninsured motorist, an agreement on the amount due has been reached, or the insured has formally started arbitration by written notice to the insurer sent by certified mail, return receipt requested.
Five years to conclude arbitration. Arbitration started under the statute generally must be concluded within five years, with limited exceptions, and the parties may agree in writing to extend that time.
No property damage. The UM coverage required by the statute does not apply to property damage, such as the scooter itself.

These rules are strict. Missing a step can put a claim at risk.

Wrongful Death Claims for Families

When a rider dies, California Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60 allows certain family members, including a surviving spouse, domestic partner, and children, and in some situations others who depended on the person, to bring a wrongful death claim. Section 11580.2 expressly includes wrongful death and covers the insured’s heirs.

The general deadline to file a lawsuit for death caused by wrongful act or neglect is two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. For UM, the separate two-year rule in subdivision (i) also applies. Do not assume one deadline covers the other.

Evidence That Matters After an E-Scooter Hit-and-Run

Hit-and-run cases are often solved, and UM claims often proved, with evidence gathered in the first days:

Police report and report number, plus the investigating officer’s contact.
Video from nearby businesses, homes, buses, and traffic cameras. Many systems overwrite footage quickly.
Witness names and contact information.
The scooter, helmet, and clothing, kept as they are, not repaired or discarded.
Paint transfer or vehicle parts collected by police at the scene.
Phone and app data, such as ride history from a shared scooter or fitness apps showing time and location.
Medical records from the first visit forward.

Rewards and Public Tips

The City of Los Angeles runs a Hit-and-Run Reward Program. In recent LAPD announcements about other fatal hit-and-runs, the department has said a reward of up to $50,000 may be available for information leading to the driver’s identification, apprehension, and conviction. Police say a standing reward of up to $50,000 is available for information leading to an arrest and conviction in this case.

If You Were Hurt on an E-Scooter

Seek medical care right away, even if you feel fine. Head injuries and internal injuries can appear later.
Call 911 and make sure police take a report. The UM statute’s 24-hour reporting rule is one reason this matters.
Photograph the scene, your injuries, and the scooter if it is safe.
Notify your insurer and ask about UM and MedPay, but avoid recorded statements on fault until you get advice.
Call counsel early so video and other evidence can be requested before it disappears.

Our posts on e-bike hit-and-run claims and the North Hollywood pedestrian hit-and-run cover related questions.

For a freeway example where the other driver ran from the scene, see our guide to family and passenger claims after a fatal SR-14 crash.

A day later and a few miles away, a motorcyclist was killed by a left-turning driver who fled. See our guide to the South LA motorcycle left-turn hit-and-run on Avalon Boulevard.

Talk With Win Attorneys

Win Attorneys helps injured riders and grieving families across Los Angeles and California from our Tustin office. When a driver flees, you should not have to fight your own insurer alone. Our office is fluent in Spanish and Vietnamese; say so when you call.

Talk to us at (562) 296-5380, write through our contact page, or visit 17291 Irvine Blvd., Suite 210, Tustin, CA 92780. The case review is free.

E-Scooter Hit-and-Run FAQs

Who pays if a hit-and-run driver kills or injures an e-scooter rider in California?

If the driver is found, a claim may be made against that driver and any insurance covering the vehicle. If the driver is never found, uninsured motorist coverage under a policy that covers the rider, such as the rider’s own policy or a household policy, may apply if the policy terms and the statute’s conditions are met.

Does uninsured motorist coverage apply to a scooter rider who was not in a car?

It can. Insurance Code section 11580.2 defines an “insured,” for an individual named insured, to include the named insured, a spouse, and relatives in the same household “while occupants of a motor vehicle or otherwise.” Each policy’s definitions and exclusions control, so the actual policy must be reviewed.

What is the physical contact rule for hit-and-run UM claims?

For an unknown driver, section 11580.2 requires that the bodily injury arose out of physical contact of the automobile with the insured or with a vehicle the insured was occupying. A near miss with no contact does not meet this statutory condition.

How fast do I have to report a hit-and-run for a UM claim in California?

The statute requires a report within 24 hours to the city police department, or in unincorporated areas to the sheriff or local CHP headquarters, and a sworn statement filed with the insurer within 30 days after that.

How long do I have to bring a UM claim after a hit-and-run?

Under section 11580.2, subdivision (i), within two years of the accident you must file suit against the uninsured motorist, reach an agreement with the insurer on the amount, or formally start arbitration by written notice sent by certified mail, return receipt requested.

Can a family bring a wrongful death claim if the hit-and-run driver is never caught?

Potentially, yes. Insurance Code section 11580.2 expressly covers wrongful death and the insured’s heirs. Depending on the policies involved and whether the statute’s conditions are met, a family may be able to pursue a UM claim even if the driver is never identified.

Is there a reward for information in Los Angeles hit-and-run cases?

The City of Los Angeles has a Hit-and-Run Reward Program, and LAPD has said in other fatal cases that rewards of up to $50,000 may be available. Ask the investigating detectives whether a reward applies in a specific case.

Featured photo: “Electric kickbikes in Kamppi on a night in April 2023” by JIP, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped.

Disclaimer

This page is general information for educational purposes. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Crash details are attributed to NBC Los Angeles reporting published October 9, 2026, citing the Los Angeles Police Department and a witness, and may change as the investigation continues. Insurance coverage depends on the specific policy language. Outcomes depend on the facts of each matter. Seek medical care for injuries. Consult a licensed California attorney about your situation.