Drunk driving suspect, being followed by police, kills pedestrian
The man was hit in Lincoln Heights and died soon after at a nearby hospital. Police said they had not turned on their lights or sirens but had been 'tracking' the driver for about 10 minutes.
A suspected drunk driver who was being followed by Los Angeles police officers struck and killed a man walking in the Lincoln Heights area this afternoon, authorities said.
Officer Jason Lee said LAPD Northeast Division officers spotted a driver who demonstrated signs of being under the influence and began "tracking him" about 2:20 p.m.
Police said it was not considered a pursuit because officers used no lights or sirens while following the vehicle.
Officers tracked the driver for about 10 minutes, beginning when they saw the car moving erratically near Figueroa Boulevard and Avenue 52, then onto the Pasadena and Golden State freeways and into the Lincoln Heights area.
Near Broadway and Griffin Avenue, the driver hit the pedestrian and a minivan, Lee said.
The pedestrian was taken to a hospital where he died about 3:30 p.m., Lee said. The occupants of the van were not seriously injured.
richard.winton@latimes.com
