L.A. County posts $20,000 reward to find man suspected of killing father and daughter in Long Beach crash
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- Long Beach police believe Octavio Montano Islas was behind the wheel of a Dodge Ram that slammed into an apartment building in 2022 and killed a man and his daughter.
- Islas has been at large despite hefty rewards offered by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to reestablish a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a man police say plowed into a Long Beach apartment, killing a father and his 3-year-old daughter.
Long Beach Police Department detectives continue to search for Octavio Montano Islas, whom authorities have identified as the man suspected of drunkenly driving a 2014 Dodge Ram that slammed into an apartment building in the 6600 block of Rose Avenue in May of 2022.
Islas, who was 24 years old at the time of the incident, allegedly fled the scene on foot, according to police.
The crash resulted in the deaths of Long Beach residents Jose Palacios-Gonzalez, 42, and his daughter Samantha Palacios. Jose was declared deceased at the scene while Samantha was rushed to a local hospital but later succumbed to her injuries.
Police are offering a $50,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of a driver who killed a man visiting L.A. for a Dodgers game in a hit-and-run on April 27.
The reward was previously offered at $10,000, until the Board of Supervisors approved a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn to increase the amount to $20,000 in 2025. Rewards are set to expire after a designated time. The reward has now been reestablished through a motion by Hahn in the hopes of finding Islas.
“Jose and Samantha’s loved ones have lived with the pain of this unimaginable loss for more than four years now, and still have not gotten justice,” said Hahn, whose fourth district includes the city of Long Beach.
“We are asking anyone who may have any information on where Octavio is or where he may have gone to please share it with detectives.”
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office has issued a warrant for Islas’ arrest on suspicion of two counts of felony manslaughter, one count of felony driving under the influence and one count of felony hit and run.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Cmdr. Paul Baum of the Long Beach Police Department Special Investigations Division at (562) 570-7449.
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