LOS ANGELES - California law enforcement authorities, in coordination with federal and international agencies, have arrested a Los Angeles man wanted in connection with a November 2024 fatal hit-and-run that claimed the life of a juvenile bicyclist.
The suspect, 33-year-old Jonathan Rodriguez, was taken into custody at Los Angeles International Airport on Aunding a multi-year international fugitive hunt.
What we know:
On November 22, 2024, California Highway Patrol Southern Division Major Crimes Unit detectives responded to a hit-and-run crash in a parking lot along Figueroa Street, just north of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard at Exposition Park.
A vehicle struck a juvenile bicyclist who died from his injuries.
Following an extensive investigation, detectives identified 33-year-old Jonathan Rodriguez as the responsible driver and obtained a $2.02 million full extradition warrant for his arrest.
Jonathan Rodriguez / CHP
Detectives determined that Rodriguez initially fled the United States to Mexico, and a joint operation with the United States Marshals Service Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force later revealed he used dual citizenship to escape from Mexico to El Salvador.
An attorney representing Rodriguez eventually contacted the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office to negotiate terms for his surrender.
Working alongside Salvadoran officials and Rodriguez's counsel, federal and state agents arranged his return flight, where task force members and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers boarded the aircraft shortly after noon at LAX to take Rodriguez into custody without incident.
Jonathan Rodriguez / CHP
What they're saying:
CHP Chief Chris Margaris commended the law enforcement personnel and international partners who secured the suspect's arrest after years of active investigation.
"This murder suspect was taken into custody thanks to the unrelenting commitment of our detectives and the cooperation of the United States Marshals Service and the El Salvadorian government," said CHP Chief Chris Margaris. "For the past two years, our detectives refused to give up their pursuit of justice to apprehend the person responsible for this senseless act of violence. The CHP remains committed to protecting the public, supporting victims and their families, and holding violent criminals accountable wherever they may try to hide."
What they're saying:
CHP detectives officially took custody of Rodriguez following his arrest on the tarmac at LAX and booked him into jail on his outstanding arrest warrant.
Rodriguez is expected to be formally arraigned in Los Angeles County court on murder charges stemming from the fatal hit-and-run incident.
The Source: This report is based on information provided by the California Highway Patrol Southern Division Major Crimes Unit regarding the November 2024 Exposition Park collision. The information outlines verified procedural actions taken across jurisdictions, including joint flight tracking and arrest operations executed alongside the United States Marshals Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Salvadoran authorities.