DUI Driver Charged with Murder Following Tragic Van Nuys Crash
North Hollywood Man Arrested on Murder Charges Following Fatal Hit-and-Run in Van Nuys
A North Hollywood resident was apprehended on Tuesday in connection with a lethal hit-and-run incident that occurred in Van Nuys, leaving a pedestrian deceased. The Los Angeles Police Department reported that 40-year-old Jose Maranon has been charged with murder.
The collision transpired around 10:25 p.m. on Monday, when Maranon, driving a white Mercedes southbound on Van Nuys Boulevard, approached Sherman Way at a speed deemed unsafe. He struck a pedestrian who was crossing in a marked crosswalk.
According to authorities, the force of the impact propelled the pedestrian, who is estimated to be around 30 years old, southwest before he landed on the road. Following the crash, Maranon fled the scene but was apprehended shortly thereafter and taken into custody without incident.
Investigators established that Maranon was not only speeding but also under the influence at the time of the incident. He has since been booked at Van Nuys Jail, facing a murder charge with bail set at $2 million.
Emergency responders from the Los Angeles Fire Department pronounced the pedestrian dead at the scene. The victim’s identity is being withheld pending notification of his next of kin.
Authorities are encouraging anyone with information regarding the incident to contact Valley Traffic Division Detective Barragan at (818) 644-8028.
