A fugitive wanted for a suspected road rage crash that killed a teen bicyclist in Los Angeles was tracked down and arrested in El Salvador.
Authorities said Jonathan Rodriguez, 33, of Los Angeles, was wanted for the death of Jonathan "Junior" Flores, 16, since the deadly 2024 incident.
On Nov. 22, 2024, an altercation occurred between a group of 40 bicyclists and a male driver in a blue BMW sedan on Figueroa Street, just north of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in the Exposition Park neighborhood around 4:30 p.m., California Highway Patrol said.
Although it's unclear what prompted the confrontation, the situation continued into the parking lot of BMO Stadium as the driver of a second vehicle, a black Honda sedan, followed the 16-year-old bicyclist. That's when the driver struck and killed the boy with his car before fleeing the scene, authorities said.
A day after the deadly hit-and-run, detectives identified Rodriguez as the driver accused of killing the boy.
Investigators later determined that Rodriguez had fled the country to Mexico and a $2 million warrant was issued for his arrest.
A search warrant was also served at a Los Angeles home linked to Rodriguez, where authorities seized two vehicles — a blue 2021 BMW sedan and a black 2018 Honda Accord.
As the search for Rodriguez continued, detectives discovered that he had fled Mexico for El Salvador using his dual citizenship.
Through coordinated efforts, an attorney for Rodriguez contacted the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office to request negotiations for his surrender. The CHP worked with the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), which contacted El Salvadorian officials and Rodriguez's attorney to coordinate his surrender.
On Aug. 27, 2026, Rodriguez boarded a flight from El Salvador to Los Angeles International Airport.
Just after 12 p.m., personnel with the USMS Task Force and Customs and Border Protection boarded the airplane and took Rodriguez into custody.
Photos of his arrival at LAX showed officers placing the handcuffed suspect into a patrol car waiting outside.
"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."
At a vigil held to honor 16-year-old Flores in November 2024, his friends and loved ones said they will miss the young boy who brought joy and laughter to those around him.
"He is loved by so many people," Flores' aunt wrote on a GoFundMe page. "He left a positive impact on so many people. He is a smart, loving, quiet, silly boy. He didn't deserve this."
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