A hit-and-run driver struck and killed a teen boy who was leaving church Friday night.
The accident happened about 8:30 p.m. at the intersection of 43rd St. and Normandie Ave. in South Los Angeles. The teenager, 16-year-old Nathaniel Mota, was crossing Normandie in a marked crosswalk when he was hit by a vehicle traveling northbound on Normandie.
Mota was leaving a youth group at St. Cecilia Catholic Church and crossing the street to meet his family. According to St. Cecilia's pastor, Jorge Ochoa, the location and its lighting have long been a concern for the church community.
The hit-and-run vehicle is being described by the Los Angeles Police Department as a white four-door sedan, possibly a Nissan or Honda.
What recourse would the teen's family have if the hit-and-run driver and vehicle are never identified? If the teen's family have uninsured motorist coverage on their own auto insurance policy, they may be able to make an uninsured motorist claim. The city of Los Angeles is another potential defendant if there is evidence that the city was on notice of the dangerousness of this intersection due to insufficient lighting, signage or traffic control devices. Any claim against the city would require investigation into whether there have been other accidents at this intersection. When a governmental entity is a potential defendant in a case, a Claim for Damages form must be filed with that governmental entity within six months of the accident, or the claim is barred under California law.
McGee, Lerer & Associates is a personal injury law firm that specializes in serious injury and wrongful death claims. We have four office locations to serve our clients: Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Long Beach and Pasadena.