According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the accident was reported around 2:10 a.m. near 9th Street and Towne Avenue on February 26.
Los Angeles, CA – 22-year-old Orlando Larios was arrested after fatally striking a pedestrian while intoxicated early Thursday morning in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the accident was reported around 2:10 a.m. near 9th Street and Towne Avenue on February 26.
LAPD reported that Larios was driving a red Nissan Kicks eastbound in the westbound lanes of Ninth Street when he struck a 37-year-old pedestrian walking south on Ninth Street.
The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene by responding Los Angeles city firefighters.
It was unclear if anyone else was injured.
Central Traffic Division officers responded to the scene and conducted a preliminary investigation. Larios was arrested by the officers after they determined he was driving under the influence of alcohol.
LAPD is investigating the accident.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and its Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), pedestrian safety in Los Angeles remains a critical concern, even as statewide trends show recent improvement. In 2023, Los Angeles County led California with 273 pedestrian fatalities, accounting for nearly 25% of the state’s total pedestrian deaths. Within Los Angeles city itself, pedestrians represent a disproportionate share of traffic violence, making up over 50% of all traffic-related fatalities. NHTSA data highlights that approximately 77% of fatal pedestrian crashes occur in dark conditions, with a significant concentration on urban arterials rather than intersections. Nationwide and local trends identified by NHTSA also emphasize that alcohol impairment (involved in 46% of fatal pedestrian crashes) and hit-and-run incidents (24%) are the primary catalysts for these deaths.
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