Driver in North Hills hit-and-run left one dead, 4 seriously injured at the scene, police say

NORTH HILLS, Calif. (FOX 11) - A driver walked away from a two-vehicle crash in North Hills on Sunday, leaving the other driver dead at the scene and four other people seriously injured, police said.

It happened around 5:35 a.m. Sunday when a vehicle going north on Haskell Avenue struck another vehicle going west on Parthenia Street, said Officer Mike Lopez of the Los Angeles Police Department's Media Relations Section.

Francisco Hernandez Rivas, 48, was driving a dark-colored SUV at the time of the crash. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The female driver of a white Lexus walked away from the scene, leaving the four injured passengers in her vehicle behind. All four were rushed to the hospital, where they remain in critical condition, police said in a press release.

Police believe alcohol might have played a role in the accident, and said some empty beer cans were found inside the Lexus, Lopez said.

In 2015, the Los Angeles City Council created a Hit-and-Run Reward Program Trust Fund, which offers a reward of up to $50,000 to community members who provide information leading to the offender's identification, apprehension, and conviction or resolution through a civil compromise.

Anyone with information about this hit-and-run crash is asked to contact the Valley Traffic Division Detectives at 818-644-8029.

CNS contributed to this report.