Car Kills Youth Fleeing Police on Harbor Freeway

Authorities were searching Tuesday for the driver of a black sedan who sped off Monday night after fatally striking a teenager who was running from police across the Harbor Freeway.

The 18-year-old was probably tagging the freeway’s center divider with graffiti when he saw police and fled, California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles Police Department authorities said. His identity has not been released pending notification of relatives.

About 6:45 p.m. Monday, LAPD officers were headed south on the freeway when they saw a man walking down the center divider near El Segundo Boulevard, CHP spokesman Officer John Tye said.

In an attempt to find out why the man was walking on the freeway, the officers took an exit and returned to the scene, LAPD Sgt. Henry Quan said.

“He saw a LAPD unit that was traveling north on the Harbor,� Tye said. “He jumped over the center divider, trying to flee across the southbound side of the highway and was struck by the felony hit-and-run driver.�

The victim was dragged along under the car before it “kind of spit him out,� Quan said

While lying in a southbound lane, the victim was struck again, officials said. The second car remained at the scene.

The victim was pronounced dead about 7:35 p.m. at Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center, Tye said.

He died of injuries from the impact of the first car, Tye said.

“Apparently, there was fresh paint on his hands,� Quan said. “There was fresh paint on the wall of the divider,� where the initials “TK� were inscribed, he added.

Authorities asked that anyone with information contact the CHP at (310) 516-3355.