Add The California Post on Google A fugitive accused of the hit-and-run murder of a 16-year-old bicyclist in Los Angeles has been captured nearly two years after fleeing the US.
Jonathan Rodriguez, 33, of LA, was taken into custody at Los Angeles International Airport Thursday after authorities tracked him to El Salvador, where he had allegedly been hiding under his dual citizenship, according to KTLA.
Rodriguez is accused of killing Jonathan “Junior” Flores during a November 2024 confrontation involving a large group of bicyclists near BMO Stadium.
The deadly incident unfolded around 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 22, when a group of roughly 40 cyclists became involved in an altercation with the driver of a blue BMW on Figueroa Street near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Exactly what sparked the confrontation remains unclear.
Investigators say the chaos soon spilled into a parking lot near the stadium, where Flores and other cyclists had ridden through an opening in a fence.
A driver in a black Honda allegedly followed Flores into the lot before striking him with the vehicle. The 16-year-old was killed while the driver sped away.
Investigators identified Rodriguez as the suspected driver just a day later, but authorities later determined that Rodriguez had fled to Mexico, prompting the issuance of a $2 million arrest warrant.
Detectives served a search warrant at a LA residence linked to Rodriguez and seized the two vehicles allegedly connected to the incident, a blue 2021 BMW sedan and a black 2018 Honda Accord.
Investigators eventually learned Rodriguez had left Mexico and traveled to El Salvador, where he was able to take advantage of his dual citizenship.
The international manhunt finally began closing in after Rodriguez’s attorney contacted the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office to negotiate his surrender.
The California Highway Patrol then worked with the US Marshals Service, which coordinated with Salvadoran authorities and Rodriguez’s attorney to arrange his return.
On Aug. 27, Rodriguez boarded a flight from El Salvador bound for Los Angeles. He was arrested at LAX without incident and booked into jail, authorities said.
“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,” CHP Chief Chris Margaris told KTLA.
“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.”
Flores’ death devastated his family and friends, who remembered the teenager as a bright and beloved student. His aunt described him as a “smart, loving, quiet, silly boy” in a GoFundMe campaign following his death.
“He is loved by so many people,” she wrote. “He left a positive impact on so many people. He didn’t deserve this.”
Friends also said Flores was not involved in the initial confrontation and that another cyclist may have struck the BMW’s side mirror before the deadly chase, according to CBS New.
CHP Sgt. Dan Kene told the outlet that the crash was “100% preventable” in the aftermath of the tragedy.
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