Man killed by hit-and-run driver, struck again by second vehicle in Torrance
On April 19, Carlos Gonzalez, 38, was attempting to cross Pacific Coast Highway near Ocean Avenue on foot at around 8:40 p.m. when he was hit by a vehicle.
The impact knocked him over and into the middle of the busy road. The suspect sped away from the scene. Dashcam video then showed an oncoming pickup truck running over Carlos and dragging his body beneath the car before finally stopping.
Leo Davis, a good Samaritan who spotted Carlos, immediately pulled over and rushed to help him.
'It was a horrible scene,' Davis said. 'I've never seen someone just lying in the street like that and left that way.'
Davis attempted life-saving measures on Carlos as he awaited the arrival of paramedics.
'He was stuck under the vehicle by the time I got to him, so I cut him out from underneath the vehicle,' Davis said. 'I took his jacket off. I checked his airways, checked for chest movement. I just continued doing CPR until the police came.'
But despite Davis' quick action, Carlos was pronounced dead at the scene.
'Leo was the one who was here to help my brother and just be with him before he passed,' Carla said.
Although the initial driver fled, the driver of the second vehicle remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation. Police do not yet have a description of the suspect's vehicle.
As Carlos' friends and family mourn the loss of a beloved brother and son, they're hoping the driver who killed him is captured soon.
Carlos' girlfriend, a woman identified only as Brittaney, said she remains in shock that anyone would flee the scene of a deadly crime.
'I understand accidents happen, but you can't just leave,' Brittaney said. 'You can't just hit somebody and leave. His mom — she needs justice for her son.'
Loved ones have set up a memorial near the crash site to honor Carlos. A GoFundMe to help his family with funeral expenses can be found here.
Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call the Torrance Police Department at 310-618-5557 and reference case #250013850.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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