A man accused of being involved in a hit-and-run crash that killed a Vietnam War veteran in Santa Monica is now in custody, authorities said.
Rod Sharif, 30, was arrested Friday at his home in Santa Monica Canyon five days after the collision, which took place at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Chelsea Avenue, according to the Santa Monica Police Department. He was booked on suspicion of murder and felony hit-and-run, police said.
The victim was walking in a crosswalk on Wilshire Boulevard around 6:40 p.m. Sunday when she was struck by a white Toyota RAV4 and sent flying several feet in the air, according to video and information shared by Santa Monica police. . She was pronounced dead at the scene.
His name has not been made public. Authorities identified her only as a Santa Monica resident and a Vietnam War veteran.
Rod Sharif, 30, was arrested on Friday.
(Santa Monica Police Department)
Witnesses saw a vehicle speeding away from the collision, prompting police to launch a multi-day search and ask for the public's help in identifying the driver. Traffic investigators identified Sharif and served search and arrest warrants at his home on Friday, police said.
Police said they recovered several pieces of evidence from his residence, including a white Toyota RAV4 with significant front-end damage.
Sharif had previously been arrested on suspicion of drunken and reckless driving, according to authorities.
