Bail for the arrested suspect was set at $1 million after authorities booked him on a felony count tied to a fatal hit-and-run.
Los Angeles, CA - October 20, 2026
A 29-year-old man was arrested Tuesday in connection with a hit-and-run that killed an 83-year-old man in South Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The fatal collision took place near Central Avenue and 69th Street in late September.
Key Facts
- Date: September 30 (reported crash time of about 8:43 p.m.)
- Location: Central Avenue and 69th Street, South Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Type of crash: Hit-and-run involving a pedestrian
- Vehicles involved: Dark blue four-door sedan
- Injuries / fatalities: One fatality
- Responding agencies: Los Angeles Police Department; Los Angeles Fire Department
- Reported by: MyNewsLA.com
Crash Overview
Officers were first sent to the area around 8:43 p.m. on September 30 after reports that a pedestrian had been struck by a dark blue four-door sedan. Police said the sedan was heading southbound on Central Avenue when the collision occurred, and the driver did not stop or try to help the victim before leaving the scene.
Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics arrived and pronounced the victim dead at the scene. The victim was later identified as Akil Saud Batanikhalfani, 83.
Police said Central Traffic Division detectives investigated and arrested John Anthony Cardenas, 29, near his workplace in Carson. Few additional details have been reported.
People Involved
- Victim: Akil Saud Batanikhalfani, 83, a pedestrian who died at the scene.
- Suspect: John Anthony Cardenas, 29, who was arrested in connection with the collision.
Investigation Status
The Los Angeles Police Department's Central Traffic Division is investigating the collision. Police said detectives served a search warrant at Cardenas' home after his arrest and impounded his vehicle as evidence. Following the arrest, Cardenas was taken into custody at the Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center, and bail was set at $1 million on a felony hit-and-run count linked to a death. Police have not reported any officially identified contributing factors beyond these allegations.