Police Seek Leads in Fatal Hit-and-Run Crash

Police sought help from the public Friday in catching the driver in a fatal hit-and-run accident that occurred Oct. 16.

Donna Deutsch, 45, died Wednesday at UCLA Medical Center six days after she was hit by a BMW 320i that sped away after striking her at Culver Boulevard and Braddock Drive.

Det. Kirk Hunter of the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Traffic Division said leads in the case were “flying in” Friday. However, he said, “unless we get a license plate number or someone comes forward . . . [hit-and-runs] are very difficult to solve.”

Deutsch never regained consciousness after the accident, Hunter said.

He said Deutsch had gotten off a bus and was crossing the street with the light when she was hit by the gold or tan car about 6 p.m.

According to witnesses, the car’s passenger was so impatient for the signal to change that he got out repeatedly to press the pedestrian signal button. The driver turned against the light onto westbound Culver Boulevard. The driver swerved to avoid a bicyclist who was crossing the street, but hit Deutsch.

Witnesses reported that the driver slowed for a moment before driving away. The car, a 1975 to 1983 model 320i, had spots of pink primer on the left side and a loud muffler, Hunter said.