Boy on pocket bike is killed in crash that leaves bike wedged in car’s front end

A boy riding a pocket bike died early Sunday morning in a collision with a car in South Los Angeles. The small, motorized bike was jammed into the front end of the car in the crash, after which the driver fled on foot, according to police.

As of Sunday night, police were still searching for the motorist.

Early Sunday evening, police also were investigating another, unrelated fatal hit-and-run in South L.A. that took the life of a female pedestrian in her 60s.

In the first of Sunday’s hit-and-runs, the victim was riding a type of motorized bike that cannot be legally operated on streets. Pocket bikes frequently lack important safety features and also are hard for other drivers to see. These bikes also are often operated by minors who do not have a driver’s license, authorities say.

The L.A. Police Department did not release the name or age of the minor in information provided to The Times Sunday night. However, Fox 11 News reported the age of the boy as 16, attributing the information to police investigators.

Candles with the name Hayden on them were lighted at the scene. Fox 11 News also showed security camera footage showing a fast-moving, dark-colored Toyota Corolla rapidly overtaking and smashing into the pocket bike that was in front of it traveling in the same direction.

The crash happened around 2 a.m. as the pocket bike headed north on San Pedro Street, just past 99th Street.

The driver failed to render aid after striking the rider. The Los Angeles Fire Department pronounced the boy dead at the scene.

Police described the driver of the car as possibly in his 20s with a heavy build. The driver could be charged with a felony for leaving the scene.

South Traffic Division detectives are urging anyone who witnessed the collision to come forward.

In a statement, police officials said that motorists involved in a collision should pull over and stop as soon as it is safe to do so, notify emergency services and remain at the scene to identify themselves.

In October, Joseph Rangel, 15, was on a pocket bike when he died in a hit-and-run collision on the border of the Westlake and Pico-Union neighborhoods.

In October, a male minor riding a mini bike died in a hit-and-run collision on the border of the Westlake and Pico-Union neighborhoods.

(KeyNews)

The California Highway Patrol raised concerns about the growing illegal use of pocket bikes last year.

“CHP East LA Officers have been seeing an uptick in the use of mini bikes/pocket bikes on the streets through Unincorporated East LA,” according to a May 2024 Instagram post from the agency. “Although they may seem fun, they are dangerous (and illegal) to ride on any public street. The majority of those we have come across do not have the proper safety equipment required for motorcycles (brakes, lights, mirrors, turn signals, speedometer).

The post urged parents to help keep them off the streets: “Unfortunately we are showing up to more crashes involving mini bikes (mostly driven by minors) causing serious injuries to the riders. We are urging mini bike owners (and parents) to not ride these bikes on any public roads.”

The Sunday collision that took the life of an unidentified woman in her 60s happened at about 6:15 p.m., said Officer David Cuellar.

The car that struck her in a crosswalk was traveling north on Main Street at 74th Street in the Florence neighborhood of South L.A.

Paramedics pronounced the woman dead at the scene.