Car Strikes, Kills Hit-and-Run Driver Fleeing Earlier Crash

Two men who fled rather than face the consequences of separate traffic accidents in Reseda and Van Nuys became involved in a chain reaction of violence and tragedy. One wound up dead and the other was arrested on suspicion of felony manslaughter, Los Angeles police said Saturday.

Darius Smith, 32, was jailed on the manslaughter charge early Saturday, about 4 1/2 hours after the car he was driving allegedly hit and killed a 29-year-old Woodland Hills man on Vanowen Steet at Andasol Avenue. He was later released on $2,500 bail.

Police said the dead man, whose name was not released pending notification of relatives, had caused a minor traffic accident about 8:30 p.m. Friday. He was running from the occupants of the other vehicle in that collision when he was killed.

Officer James Ruffner said the unidentified man drove through a red light at Vanowen Street and White Oak Avenue in Reseda, hit another car and drove off.

The driver of the other car, whose identity was also not released, chased him east on Vanowen, catching up to him in an apartment house parking lot on Amestoy Avenue.

The hit-and-run driver continued fleeing on foot. Ruffner said the other driver and a passenger chased him for several blocks, caught him and wrestled him to the ground.

The man broke loose and dashed into Vanowen Street, where he was hit by an eastbound vehicle, which knocked him into the westbound lanes. As he lay in the street, he was struck again by a westbound vehicle, allegedly driven by Smith, and dragged for about 50 feet, Ruffner said.

Ruffner said Smith drove back and forth to dislodge the man’s body, which was stuck under the auto, before driving away.

Smith surrendered to police about 1 a.m. Saturday.

No charges are pending against the first driver, who stopped after hitting the man.