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A 34-year-old man was arrested Friday in Koreatown on suspicion of severely injuring a 70-year-old woman in a hit-and-run in Chinatown earlier this month.
Authorities offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the suspect in the Sept. 4 hit-and-run collision, and "detectives received a tip that led to the identification of the driver," according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Christopher David Smith was arrested Friday about 2:45 p.m. at his home in the 900 block of Menlo Avenue, one block east of Vermont Avenue, police said.
According to the LAPD, a black sedan with dealer-issued plates struck the woman around 5 p.m. Sept. 4 as she was crossing North Broadway at College Street.
Investigators said she was in the crosswalk and had the "walk"
signal when she was struck by the car, believed to be a black 2003-2006 Mercedes-Benz C230, that made a left turn onto Broadway from College Street.
The victim, whose name was withheld, was catapulted into the air and landed on the street, suffering a brain bleed and broken neck, clavicle and pelvis that required her to be admitted into an intensive care unit, authorities said.
The driver stopped and got out of the car, then fled the scene without rendering aid or identifying himself, according to the LAPD.
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Police released security video that showed the woman being struck by the car, and that also showed the suspect walking up to her while others tended to her, and then leaving the scene.
Police had released a composite drawing of the suspect, described as Black, between 35 and 40 years old, about 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 180 pounds, with short blond braids, tattoos on his arm and the number "1" inked on the left side of his face.
