Just before 12:52 a.m. on April 30, the intersection of Manchester Avenue and Vermont Avenue in South Los Angeles became the scene of a deadly hit and run. A 62-year-old woman crossing the street was struck by a vehicle traveling west on Manchester. The driver did not stop. The driver did not return. The driver left her there.
Multiple 911 calls brought Los Angeles police officers to the scene. They found Lavona Graham critically injured on the pavement. Paramedics rushed her to a hospital, but the damage was too severe. She died from her wounds. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office later formally identified her.
Investigators have not released a description of the suspect vehicle. No license plate. No make. No model. No color. The driver remains unidentified. No arrests have been announced. Debris found at the scene is believed to have come from the fleeing car. Clothing belonging to Graham was also recovered.
LAPD’s South Traffic Division has been canvassing the Vermont Knolls neighborhood. Detectives are knocking on doors, reviewing surveillance footage, and asking residents if they saw or heard anything. The crash occurred in an area where pedestrian safety concerns have been raised before. Residents say crossing at that intersection can feel dangerous even during daylight hours.
Police have not determined whether speed played a role. They have not said whether impairment was a factor. The investigation remains active. Detectives are urging anyone with information or camera footage from the area around the time of the incident to contact the LAPD’s South Traffic Division.
A woman named Lavona Graham crossed a street in South Los Angeles shortly before 1 a.m. She never made it to the other side. The driver who hit her is still out there. And a family is left waiting for answers that have not yet come.