Photo: Long Beach Police Department
LONG BEACH (CNS) - A reward for information leading the arrest and conviction of the suspect in a Long Beach hit-and-run crash that killed a 42- year-old man and his 3-year-old daughter was at $25,000 today, with the city of Long Beach adding $15,000 to the fund.
The city's reward offer is on top of $10,000 approved earlier this week by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, at the request of Supervisor Janice Hahn.
Police have identified the hit-and-run suspect as 24-year-old Octavio Montano. Long Beach police said he was driving a 2014 Ram 1500 pickup northbound on Rose Avenue, near East Artesia Boulevard, at about 10 p.m. March 1 when the truck ``left the roadway and collided with an apartment building, killing two of the occupants inside.''
Montano allegedly ran away from the scene following the collision.
Jose Palacios Gonzalez was pronounced dead at the scene, while his daughter Samantha Palacios was taken to a hospital, where she later died.
``The deaths of Jose and Samantha have had a devastating, lasting impact on our community,'' Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia said in a statement. ``We are hopeful this reward will encourage those with information to come forward, and I want to thank Supervisor (Janice) Hahn for supporting these efforts as well.''
Montano was described as a 5-feet-8 inches tall and weighing 160 pounds, with black hair, brown eyes and unspecified tattoos on his right forearm.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts was asked to call LBPD Detective Kevin Johansen at 562-570-7355. Anonymous tips can be called in to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submitted online at lacrimestoppers.org.
Photo: Long Beach Police Department