Comedian Perry Kurtz Struck, Killed in Hit-and-Run Collision in Tarzana: Teen Driver Arrested

TARZANA, LOS ANGELES, Aug. 16 (KNN) — Comedian Perry Kurtz, who has appeared on “America’s Got Talent” and late night talk shows, was struck and killed in a hit-and-run traffic collision as he was crossing a street in Tarzana late Thursday night.

The Los Angeles City Fire Department and Los Angeles Police Department responded to a reported auto versus pedestrian traffic collision around 11:30 p.m. in the 19500 block of Ventura Boulevard. When first responders arrived, they found a person beyond medical help laying in the street after a vehicle had struck the victim without stopping and rendering aid.

According to TMZ, the pedestrian has been identified as 73-year-old comedian Perry Kurtz.

Further investigation led the LAPD’s Valley Traffic Division detectives and West Valley Patrol officers to locate the hit-and-run driver at his residence. He was detained pending further investigation, according to the LAPD in a news release of the incident.

The hit-and-run vehicle was located abandoned not far from the scene of the collision.

The LAPD later arrested and booked the suspect driver at Van Nuys Jail for felony hit-and-run causing death. He has been identified as 18-year-old Nathon Jaimes, a resident of Reseda.

Additional details regarding the fatal collision indicate the suspect’s gray Honda Civic was traveling eastbound on Ventura Boulevard when it struck a pedestrian who was walking across Ventura Boulevard east of Corbin Avenue, according to the LAPD.

“The Honda continued eastbound failing to stop, identify self, or render aid as required by law,” stated the LAPD news release.

KNN video shows officers at the fatal scene and also later in the video, at the location where the suspect vehicle was found.

Keith Johnson, Video Journalist / KNN