Holocaust Survivor Hit, Killed by Car

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is looking for the driver in connection with a fatal hit-and-run that resulted in the death of a man, later identified by his granddaughter as a Holocaust survivor, KTLA reported.

According to the LAPD, a 92-year-old man, who various media have identified as Gennady Bolotsky, was entering a crosswalk at Magnolia Boulevard and Wilkinson Avenue in Valley Village at around 5:35 a.m. on June 17 when an unidentified vehicle approached and collided with him.

“The driver of the vehicle failed to stop and render aid, identify him/herself as required by law,” a June 20 LAPD news release said.

According to the LAPD, the Los Angeles Fire Department transported the “92-year-old, male pedestrian to a local hospital, where he later died due to his injuries.”

The LAPD did not release the name of the pedestrian, who was identified by the Los Angeles Times and KTLA.

Citing an interview with Bolotsky’s granddaughter, Adriana, KTLA reported that Bolotsky “escaped Nazi occupation and fled communist Russia to come to the U.S.”

In a brief surveillance video available on the L.A. Times website, a white pickup truck with a white camper shell  is shown hitting the pedestrian in a marked crosswalk, momentarily stopping, then driving on. Another pedestrian shown in the video, walking in a crosswalk parallel to the vehicle, appears to have witnessed the incident but doesn’t render aid.

According to the LAPD website, a reward of up to $50,000 is available to anyone providing information that leads to the offender’s identification, apprehension and conviction.

Anyone with information about this accident is asked to call Valley Traffic Division detectives at (818) 644-8029 or (818) 644-8032.