On May 17th, the Los Angeles Police Department identified and arrested a suspect in connection with the hit-and-run death that occurred at the start of May in downtown Los Angeles, California. The suspect, Maria Perez, a 59-year-old resident of Bell Gardens, would require a car accident lawyer to represent her.

Perez was identified by a sergeant who noticed her 2005 Scion xB was an exact match to the description of the vehicle in the hit-and-run incident that claimed the life of 51-year-old Byern Smith. The tragic accident occurred at about 1:50 a.m. on May 7 as the victim was walking in the 1600 block of East Seventh Street.

The suspect’s vehicle was spotted around Gladys Avenue and Sixth Street. She was immediately taken into custody for her involvement in the car accident that claimed Smith’s life.

Maria Perez was charged with felony hit-and-run, a second unspecified felony charge, and two outstanding misdemeanor warrants.

According to police reports, the elderly woman stepped out of her vehicle when she allegedly hit the victim. Instead of offering assistance to the victim or contacting the authorities, she reportedly fled the scene.

Perez is currently being held by the Los Angeles Central Division on a $100,000 bail. The official jail report did not indicate when Perez will appear in Court.

Hit-and-run convictions in California attract a $10,000 fine or four years jail term. When involved in an accident, the law requires that you stay on the scene until the authorities arrive. It is also advisable to talk to an experienced car accident lawyer.

Disclaimer: The Accident News article you just read includes information obtained from numerous sources. These sources include, but are not limited to, websites and press releases from law enforcement, the county coroner, fire departments, and other news outlets. While we strive to provide readers with the most accurate information, sometimes the information received is not entirely accurate. For complete details, please refer to an official police report.

The articles published contain sensitive subject matter that may be hard to read by some. We understand that losing a loved one is hard and devastating. Accident News’s decision to share the stories is to help others who may be facing the same situations by providing appropriate resources to the general public.

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