Police said the driver of a white Jeep ran from the crash scene near Vista Del Mar and Culver Boulevard.
PLAYA DEL REY, CA — A man and a 1-year-old child were killed early Sunday in a hit-and-run crash near the Playa del Rey coast, where Los Angeles police said a white Jeep collided with another vehicle and the driver fled.
The crash left two other people hospitalized and renewed concern about a busy coastal stretch where residents have long complained about fast traffic and serious crashes. Police had not released the names of the dead by Sunday afternoon. Investigators were still searching for the driver, described by police as a man believed to be about 25 years old.
The collision was reported about 4:30 a.m. Sunday near Vista Del Mar and Culver Boulevard, close to Dockweiler State Beach. Police said two vehicles crashed at the intersection. The driver of the white Jeep ran from the area, heading toward the beach, while victims remained at the scene. A man died there before he could be taken to a hospital. A 1-year-old child was transported with serious injuries and later died. A woman and a young girl also were taken to a hospital in critical condition. Police said the relationship between the victims was not immediately clear.
Authorities gave slightly different early descriptions of the victims as the investigation developed. Police said one vehicle carried two adults and a 1-year-old child. Other reports from the scene said a 25-year-old man was a front-seat passenger in one of the vehicles, while a 27-year-old man and a young girl remained hospitalized. Officials had not publicly clarified which vehicle each victim was in or how the two vehicles collided. The cause of the crash also remained unknown Sunday. Detectives were expected to review debris patterns, vehicle damage, surveillance video and witness statements as part of the hit-and-run investigation.
Cory Cooper, who lives nearby, said he heard the crash and went outside to help. Cooper said people were already gathered around the wreckage when he arrived, and a man was holding the injured child. “It didn’t look like the child was doing well, so we gave him CPR, waited for 911 and then they pulled out another passenger while we were giving CPR and she didn’t look good, either,” Cooper said. He said dispatchers guided him through CPR until paramedics arrived. “It’s something you don’t wish on anybody, but that was awful,” he said.
The crash scene remained active for several hours as crews cleared debris and investigators worked near the intersection. A resident who said he has lived in the area for almost 50 years described the corridor as dangerous and said speeding has been a long-running problem. “We just don’t have enough police monitoring it,” the resident said. “I’ve seen people hit 70, 80, 90 in this strip. They really think it’s Le Mans.” Police did not say Sunday whether speed, alcohol or drugs were suspected factors in the crash.
The wreck happened in a part of Los Angeles already marked by recent traffic deaths. Earlier this year, Regan Cole Graham, a 36-year-old pregnant cyclist, was killed while riding with her family in Playa del Rey. Her baby, Ophelia, died the next day. Over the weekend, the Finish the Ride and Finish the Run events in Griffith Park honored Graham and called attention to road safety. Graham’s sister, Caitlin Cole, said the loss was “such traumatic loss,” adding that her sister and unborn niece “should be here.” The memorial event came one day before the fatal Vista Del Mar crash.
Hit-and-run crashes that cause death or injury are investigated as serious crimes in California. Police said Sunday that the Playa del Rey case remained open and that no arrest had been announced. Detectives were searching for the driver of the white Jeep and trying to determine where the person went after leaving the crash scene. Officials had not released a license plate number or a more detailed suspect description. Police also had not said whether the Jeep was recovered or whether it was registered to the suspected driver.
The intersection of Vista Del Mar and Culver Boulevard sits near the coast, airport-area traffic routes and beach access roads that draw commuters, residents and visitors. In the predawn hours Sunday, the area turned into a crash scene lined with emergency vehicles. Cooper said the scene was chaotic and painful, especially as bystanders tried to keep the injured child alive before paramedics arrived. Police and fire crews moved between the damaged vehicles while investigators began the slow work of sorting out who was inside each car and what happened in the seconds before impact.
By Sunday afternoon, police were still looking for the driver and had not released the victims’ names. The next major step in the investigation is expected to be the identification of the suspect and a fuller account of how the crash occurred.
Author note: Last updated May 3, 2026.