A man pleaded not guilty Friday to charges stemming from the hit-and-run death of a 101-year-old pedestrian in a crosswalk in Boyle Heights.
Ricardo Avalos, 41, of Los Angeles, was charged Thursday with one felony count of hit-and-run and one misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter in the death of Jose Noriega.
Noriega was in a crosswalk at Lorena and Opal streets when he was struck about 6 a.m. Wednesday by a 1997 Chevrolet Astro van being driven north on Lorena Street, according to Detective Felix Padilla of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Traffic Division.
The driver fled, but witnesses followed and blocked his way — with one cutting off the van and another grabbing his keys — a short distance from the crash scene, authorities said.
Avalos — who was arrested by Los Angeles police at 6:20 a.m. Wednesday – – remained jailed in lieu of $50,000 bail.
Noriega was taken to County-USC Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 7:49 a.m.
If convicted as charged, Avalos faces up to four years in state prison, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
—City News Service