Teen-Age Flower Vendor Killed by Hit-Run Driver

A teen-ager selling flowers at a North Hollywood intersection died Monday after he was struck by a hit-and-run driver. The suspect’s car was involved in three other collisions, Los Angeles police said.

The 17-year-old North Hollywood youth, whose name was not immediately released, was standing on the center divider at Sherman Way and Laurel Canyon Boulevard about 6 p.m. when he was struck by a car police believe was driven by Martin Hernandez Torres, 23, Officer Dennis Smith said. Smith said that as Torres was attempting to turn left from Laurel Canyon onto Sherman Way, his car hit the rear of a southbound vehicle on Laurel Canyon. The impact sent Torres’ car over the center divider on Sherman Way, where it hit the youth.

Torres and a passenger eventually were stopped in the 6800 block of Whitsett. Police believe Torres was driving, but arrested both men on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter because of conflicting statements by witnesses.