Police said the driver of a white Jeep ran from the scene after the collision.
LOS ANGELES — A family returning from Playa del Rey beach was struck early Sunday by a hit-and-run driver, leaving a 1-year-old boy and his 25-year-old uncle dead, police and relatives said.
The deaths have focused new attention on the coastal intersection of Vista Del Mar Avenue and Culver Boulevard, where residents say speeding is common. Police are searching for the driver of a white Jeep SUV, and relatives are asking for answers after the crash killed Roger Sandoval and Oswaldo Sandoval.
The Sandoval family had spent Saturday night at the beach before getting into a sedan to head home to the San Fernando Valley, relatives said. Seconds after Oscar Sandoval began driving, the Jeep struck the sedan on the passenger side. The impact left car parts scattered across the intersection and several people trapped or badly hurt inside the sedan. Witnesses said the Jeep driver got out and ran from the crash scene.
Emergency crews were called at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday. Oswaldo Sandoval died at the scene. Roger Sandoval, who was 1, was taken to a hospital and later died. A woman and a 15-year-old girl were also hospitalized in critical condition. Cory Cooper, a nearby resident, said he helped give CPR to the child while waiting for paramedics. “We held the baby and we tried to give the baby CPR for as long as we could,” Cooper said.
Neighbors described the crash as one of the worst they had seen in an area already known for fast traffic. Michael Moloney, who lives nearby, said drivers often speed downhill near the intersection. Polly Rose, another neighbor, said people need to slow down and be more considerate. Police have not said whether street design, speed or driver behavior caused the crash.
A memorial grew near the scene after the collision, with flowers and candles placed for the victims. Friends said the child was joyful and often smiling. Relatives were too distraught to speak at first, but Oscar Sandoval later described trying to save his son and seeing his brother fatally injured in the wreck. He said he wanted the driver found and arrested.
The Los Angeles Police Department has not announced charges because no suspect has been taken into custody. Investigators are reviewing witness accounts and video from the aftermath. The driver was last reported fleeing on foot toward the beach. Officials have not publicly identified the driver, and no court date has been set.
As of Tuesday, May 5, the case remained an active fatal hit-and-run investigation. The family continued to mourn at the crash site while police searched for the person who left the scene.
Author note: Last updated May 5, 2026.