Man Arrested In Fatal North Hills Hit-And-Run

NORTH HILLS, CA — A 29-year-old man is facing murder charges today in connection with a hit-and-run crash that killed a woman in North Hills this week.

Los Angeles police on Thursday announced the arrest of Abraham Espinosa Velasco on suspicion of murder, according to the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. He is being held on $2 million bail.

According to the LAPD, Velasco killed a 56-year-old woman early Tuesday morning when he ran his Range Rover through a red light while speeding, plowing into the woman's car. She died at the scene, and Velasco failed to stop and render aid or wait for police, LAPD investigators allege.

According to the LAPD, the collision occurred about 5:20 a.m. Tuesday, when a black 2016 Range Rover speeding northbound on Hayvenhurst Avenue ran a red light and crashed into a 2018 Toyota Camry eastbound on Nordhoff Street. The Range Rover then crashed into a gray Honda Civic and a white Toyota Tacoma in the intersection before coming to a stop in the middle of the street.

The woman driving the Honda was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, police said. Her name was withheld, pending notification of her next of kin. The driver of the Camry was treated at the scene for complaints of pain, while the driver of the Tacoma was not injured.

Velasco and a male passenger got out of the Range Rover and fled before police and fire department personnel arrived, police allege. The passenger was still being sought Thursday morning.

Anyone with information on the case was urged to call LAPD Valley Traffic Division Officer Garcia at 818-644-8117 or Detective Barragan at 818- 644-8028. Calls made during non-business hours or on weekends should be made to 877-527-3247. Anonymous tips can be called in to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submitted online at lacrimestoppers.org.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.