Watch CBS News

$10,000 Reward Offered For Hit-And-Run Driver Who Killed Film Student In North Hollywood

NORTH HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA.com) — A $10,000 reward is being offered to help track down a hit-and-run driver who killed a man who never got to live out his dream, the California Highway Patrol announced Tuesday.

Rishi Chaubal-Menon was killed about 12:15 a.m. Oct. 31 near Vineland Avenue after attending a party nearby, Officer Leland Tang said.

A vehicle struck the 18-year-old as he walked on the northbound Hollywood (170) Freeway in North Hollywood.

Why he was walking on the freeway is not clear.

"The vehicle we are looking for will have damage to the left front-side headlight, left-front fender and possibly damage to the left-front windshield," Tang said. The make, model and color are unknown.

Chaubal-Menon was a student at the New York Film Academy-Los Angeles Campus, where a news conference was held to seek the public's help to find the hit-and-run driver. The film academy offered the reward.

According to Chaubal-Menon's family, he had been in Los Angeles for four weeks before he was killed.

"The loss of a child is the worst nightmare any parent can ever go through. And we've been going through it for over six months now without answers," according to a statement released by the victim's family and read by Eric Conner, dean of students at the academy.

"We don't know why the young man was on the freeway," Tang said. "We know it is a very busy freeway, and we hope someone saw something that will help us find the motorist and help bring closure to the family."

Friend Ria Patel said she and Chaubal-Menon grew up together, and he was like a younger brother to her.

"I really miss him every day of my life. I can't even imagine what his parents, his family and his friends are going through," she said. "I think that everyone that knew him deserves to know what happened."

Buffy Milner was the victim's roommate. She said they came to the United States from Australia to pursue a career in Hollywood, and Chaubal-Menon helped her tremendously when she did not know her way around.

"Rishi was the most caring, the most loving person, one of the best people that I've ever had the pleasure of meeting in my life," Milner wept.

She said Chaubal-Menon was a responsible person, "and there was no way to me in my head that any amount of alcohol made him get to where he was, which is why we urge anyone to come forward with any information of what happened to him after he left the party."

Anyone with information is asked to call Tang at (818) 888-0980, ext. 204.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.