A man suspected of being involved in a hit-and-run crash that killed a Vietnam War veteran in Santa Monica is now in custody, authorities said.
Rod Sharif, 30, was arrested at his home in Santa Monica Canyon on Friday, five days after the crash at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Chelsea Avenue, the Santa Monica Police Department said. Police said the man was arrested on suspicion of murder and hit-and-run.
The victim was walking in a crosswalk on Wilshire Boulevard around 6:40 p.m. Sunday when he was struck by a white Toyota RAV4 and thrown several feet, according to video and information shared by Santa Monica Police. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her name has not been released. Authorities identified her only as a Santa Monica resident and Vietnam War veteran.
The suspect, Rod Sharif, 30, was arrested Friday.
(Santa Monica Police Department)
Witnesses saw the vehicle fleeing the crash at high speed, prompting police to launch a multi-day search and ask for the public’s help in identifying the driver. Traffic investigators identified Sharif and executed a search and arrest warrant at his home on Friday, police said.
Police said they recovered several pieces of evidence from his residence, including a white Toyota RAV4 with significant front-end damage.
Authorities said Sharif had previously been arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and reckless driving.
