Police Thursday sought public help to identify two witnesses they hope will help them find a hit-and-run suspect in the death of a 76-year-old woman in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Police Department announced a week ago that Ronald Waldamar Jo-Jlux, 26, also known as Ronald Lux, is allegedly responsible for fatally injuring Jeun Chu Ham, who was hit by a car while crossing Miramar Street at Union Avenue shortly before 6 a.m. on Nov. 23.
The woman was hit by a tan Toyota Corolla that was turning left onto Miramar Street, dragging her about 15 feet. The driver fled the scene without rendering aid, according to police, who said Ham died of her injuries in a hospital intensive care unit at about 8 that night.
Detectives believe Jo-Jlux may be driving or living in the vehicle, which is described as a four-door tan or gold 2003 to 2008 Corolla, with its driver side wheels missing its hub caps or is equipped with aftermarket black rims.
Police appealed Thursday for help in finding two people described as witnesses.
“They were captured on video associating with the driver of the Toyota Corolla, Ronald Waldamar Jo-Jlux,” according to an LAPD statement. “One witness was a passenger in the hit-and-run vehicle. The second witness is a possible food vendor who delivered food to the hit-and-run suspect and the passenger on two different occasions.”
The vendor was selling food out of a 2016-2020 white Toyota Rav4, police said. Descriptions of the witnesses were not released.
At a news conference shortly after the victim’s death, her daughter, Susan Ham, pleaded for public help in solving the case.
“I’m calling on the community to be my surveillance camera to help me with this,” she said. “Time is of the essence. It’s just really unfortunate that we still have people here that are too afraid to stop.”
A reward of up to $50,000 is available, through the city of Los Angeles, for anyone who provides information leading to the identification and conviction of a suspect in a fatal hit-and-run.
Anyone with information about the suspect was urged to call Detective Juan Campos at 213-833-3713 or the Central Traffic Division watch commander at 213-833-3746. Those wishing to report anonymously can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.