Last updated
By Ron McMinn, Esq. | Reporting rechecked November 9, 2026.
Read this article in Español.
On the evening of Thursday, November 5, 2026, a pedestrian in Van Nuys survived being hit by one car, only to be run over by a second driver who did not stop. The first driver stayed. The second drove away. Here is what police have released so far, and what California law says about the driver who left and the claims a family can still bring.
What police have said
According to an LAPD news release published by the Van Nuys News Press, at about 5:55 p.m. a blue Volvo V70 traveling eastbound on Victory Boulevard hit a pedestrian crossing Victory between Willis Avenue and Cedros Avenue. That driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.
The release says a second vehicle, a red sedan traveling eastbound on Victory, then ran over the pedestrian as he lay in the roadway. He became trapped underneath the vehicle until he was dislodged, and the driver continued northbound without stopping to render aid or identify themselves. ABC7 reported, citing police, that he was dragged several blocks before coming free in front of Van Nuys High School. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics pronounced the 33-year-old man dead at the scene.
Early reporting varied on some details. NBC4 reported that LAPD described the second vehicle as possibly a red Cadillac traveling northbound on Cedros Avenue. On November 7, CBS Los Angeles reported that police had confirmed the fleeing driver was a woman but had not identified her, and that a standing reward of up to $50,000 is offered for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the driver. We are not naming the man who died.
Anyone with information is asked to contact LAPD Valley Traffic Division Officer Hansen at 818-644-8255 or Detective Martinez at 818-644-8033. Off-hours and weekend calls go to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247).
Two impacts, two drivers, two sets of questions
This is not a typical “two cars hit a pedestrian” crash. One driver stopped. The other did not. Our Escondido two-vehicle pedestrian article looks at how multiple impacts are sorted out. Here the key legal fact is the second driver’s decision to keep going.
California law puts a duty of care on every driver toward a person in the road. Vehicle Code section 21954 says pedestrians crossing outside a crosswalk generally must yield to vehicles close enough to be an immediate hazard, but it also says that rule does not relieve a driver of the duty to use due care for the safety of any pedestrian on the roadway. A man already lying injured in the street is exactly the kind of hazard that duty covers. How fault is divided between the two impacts is for investigators and, in a civil case, the courts.
What the law says about leaving the scene
Vehicle Code section 20001 requires the driver of a vehicle involved in a crash that injures or kills another person to stop immediately and fulfill the duties in sections 20003 and 20004, which include giving identifying information and rendering reasonable assistance. When the crash results in death or permanent, serious injury, the statute provides for imprisonment in state prison for two, three, or four years, or county jail, and fines. A criminal case is separate from the family’s civil claims, and a civil claim does not have to wait for an arrest.
If the driver who fled is never found
Uninsured motorist coverage can apply to a pedestrian. Under Insurance Code section 11580.2, a vehicle whose owner or operator is unknown can count as uninsured, but only if the injury arose from physical contact, the crash was reported within 24 hours to police (here, LAPD), and a sworn statement was filed with the insurer within 30 days after that. Coverage depends on the policy, and household members may be covered as insureds. Our UM and UIM claims page explains more.
If the driver is identified, a claim can be made against that driver’s liability insurance. Families can also ask whether the first driver’s coverage is involved, depending on what investigators find about the first impact.
What families can do now
Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60 lets certain family members bring a wrongful death claim when a death is caused by another person’s wrongful act or neglect. Section 335.1 generally sets a two-year deadline for those claims against private parties.
Practical steps: keep the LAPD report number, write down the names of any witnesses, ask nearby businesses and residents to preserve video before it is recorded over, notify your own auto insurer in writing, and keep funeral and medical bills. Our hit-and-run page and our North Hollywood pedestrian hit-and-run article cover related San Fernando Valley issues.
Talk to us
If you were hurt in California and a city, county, transit agency, or the State may be involved, Win Attorneys handles government claims and personal injury matters statewide from our Tustin office. See our Los Angeles page. We speak Spanish and Vietnamese.
Call us at (562) 296-5380, reach us through our contact page, or start online with our intake form. Office: 17291 Irvine Blvd., Suite 210, Tustin, CA 92780.
Frequently asked questions
What happened in the Van Nuys pedestrian crash on November 5, 2026?
According to LAPD information reported by local outlets, a 33-year-old man crossing Victory Boulevard between Willis and Cedros avenues was struck by an eastbound blue Volvo whose driver stayed. A second vehicle, a red sedan, then ran over him while he lay in the road, dragged him several blocks, and left. He died at the scene.
Is it a crime to leave after hitting a pedestrian in California?
Yes. Vehicle Code section 20001 requires a driver involved in a crash that injures or kills someone to stop immediately and meet the duties in sections 20003 and 20004. When the crash causes death or permanent, serious injury, the statute provides for state prison terms of two, three, or four years, among other penalties.
Who pays if the hit-and-run driver is never found?
Uninsured motorist coverage on the injured person’s or a household member’s own auto policy may apply. For an unknown driver, Insurance Code section 11580.2 requires physical contact, a report to police within 24 hours, and a sworn statement to the insurer within 30 days after that, among other conditions.
Does the first driver’s stop end the case against the second driver?
No. Investigators generally look at each vehicle separately. The driver who stayed and the driver who fled can raise different questions about fault and insurance, and the facts of each impact matter.
How long does a family have to bring a wrongful death claim?
Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 generally sets two years for wrongful death and personal injury claims against private parties. Uninsured motorist claims have their own policy and statutory deadlines, so families should not wait for an arrest to act.