Body Found 13 Miles From Scene of Hit-Run

A driver struck a teenager, then traveled about 13 miles with the victim inside the car before leaving the body by a toll road median, police said Monday.

Officials believe the victim crashed through the car windshield, possibly landing in the passenger seat. The driver has not been located.

Anaheim Police Sgt. Joe Vargas said investigators were stunned by the nature of the crime, which occurred at 11:50 p.m. Sunday. John Lee LaBord, 18, had just gotten off work and was walking home with his bicycle, talking to three friends walking alongside, when a black car speeding along East Orangewood Avenue near Rampart Street struck him.

“The victim was walking with a 17-year-old boy and two girls, 17 and 18. They were engaging in conversation when a car came from behind at a high rate of speed and struck the bicycle. The driver never braked, never slowed down, never stopped,” Vargas said.

The incident happened quickly. LaBord--who lived in Orange, graduated from Orange High School in June was to start community college classes today--disappeared in front of his friends’ eyes, police said.

“They looked around and saw the crumpled bike and a sneaker, but not the victim,” Vargas said. “We’ve seen cases where a body is thrown 150 feet or more. So we had patrol cars, bicycle patrols, dogs and a helicopter with an infrared device looking for the body.”

Investigators “knew it was a big accident with significant injuries, based on debris and other evidence found at the scene,” Vargas said. Broken glass suggested that the car’s windshield had been shattered.

At 6:30 a.m. Monday, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department received a call about a body in the center of California 133 near Portola Parkway. Anaheim detectives also were summoned, and they determined that the body was LaBord’s.

Vargas said the accident happened so quickly that the witnesses were unable to give a good description of the car except to say that it was black, possibly a Honda.

An autopsy will determine whether LaBord died on impact or survived for a short time.

“If the autopsy determines that the victim could have survived his injuries if he had received medical treatment right away, we’re going to have to deal with some pretty serious concerns,” Vargas said. “The crime is horrible enough, but if this kid could have lived if taken to a hospital, it makes everything worse.”

Alex LaBord, the victim’s father, remembered his son as “just a good boy who liked to play guitar.”

John was the youngest of four children. He was working at a store in Orange to earn money for school clothes, his father said.

“He was an honors student and played on the Orange High School water polo and swim teams,” Alex LaBord said.

Michael Seltzer, Orange High’s water polo coach for the first three years LaBord played there, described him as “a real good kid” and “quiet socially, but well-liked.”

“He wasn’t your all-star, or the top player, but he was the kind of kid who makes up most of your teams. He was very dependable, always at practice on time. He pushed everyone else on the team to do their best.”

Alex LaBord said that guitars were his son’s passion and that he planned to study music in college.

“He owned three guitars, including one that he bought with his own money for $600. He wanted to have his own band,” he said. “John was just an all-around good kid. . . . I want the person who did this to get caught. I want [the driver] to know who my son was.”

Times staff writer Mike Hiserman contributed to this story.