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KOREATOWN, LOS ANGELES () — A community is mourning a 33-year-old mother of two who was killed when she was hit by a speeding Mercedes-Maybach SUV while she was making a food delivery in Koreatown.
Ittai Rodriguez was driving along Ardmore Avenue shortly after midnight on Friday to drop off an order when her vehicle collided with the Mercedes-Maybach, which was traveling at a high rate of speed. The impact sent Rodriguez’s vehicle spinning out of control and into a pole.
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“She was coming at an extreme speed, and my friend was just trying to make a turn right here, and that’s when she got hit,” Rodriguez’s friend, Natali Martinez, said.
Los Angeles police said the driver of the Mercedes-Maybachwas taken into custody and booked on suspicion of driving under the influence.
“I just want to seek justice for Ittai because… it wasn’t right,” Martinez said.
Rodriguez’s family and friends gathered at the crash site on Sunday night for a candlelight vigil. Tearful mourners released silver and white memorial balloons near the spot where Rodriguez died.
“I remember my last words to her were, ‘Be careful and be safe,'” friend Ana Maria Flores said.
Rodriguez’s brother, Alexis Serrano, said he learned about the crash through a notification on the Citizen App. Someone was livestreaming from the scene as emergency crews tried to save his sister.
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“Someone was live streaming from the corner, and I seen as they were pulling her out and stuff,” Serrano said. “It was hard, you know, finding out like… especially that way. A notification on my phone. I had to click on it and see my sister trying to come back to life.”
During the vigil, Rodriguez’s friend Josette Quijas prayed for the mother of two.
“She was gone too soon, Lord God. She touched so many people’s lives, Lord God, and made an impact everywhere she went,” Quijas said.
Rodriguez had recently graduated from culinary school, received two dream job offers and purchased a new vehicle one week before the crash, according to her family and friends.
“She was all of our most encouraging friend. She always had faith in us when we didn’t have faith in ourselves,” Quijas said.
Another friend, Auria Juliana Forney, remembered Rodriguez for her kindness and hospitality.
“She treated me like family. She was very hospitable, welcomed me into her home,” Forney said.
Remnants of the violent collision remained at the scene on Sunday night. A parked car’s rear end was completely smashed, and Rodriguez’s family and friends said pieces of her vehicle were among the debris still scattered along the road.
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