Father makes plea after L.A. man is dragged 6 miles by hit-and-run driver in New Orleans

The father of a Los Angeles man who police believe was struck and killed by a car in New Orleans’ French Quarter and dragged more than 6 miles across a Mississippi River bridge made a public appeal Friday for the driver of the vehicle to turn himself in.

The body of Joshua Woodruff, 28, was found about 3:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day across the river from the French Quarter, where police believe he was initially struck by a black sedan.

“Turn yourself in. You need that cleansing of your conscience,” Mark Woodruff said during a news conference with his wife, Caren, at New Orleans Police Department headquarters.

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Woodruff’s parents traveled to the city from Omaha, Neb., for the news conference. They joined police Chief Michael Harrison in appealing for witnesses to come forward.

“We’re appealing to the conscience of those people who might know something,” Harrison said. “Please come forward. The Woodruffs need closure.

“They’ve suffered a great loss and their lives will never be the same.”

Woodruff’s family and the Crimestoppers organization offered a $10,000 reward in the case.

Woodruff, an Omaha native, lived in Los Angeles.