Police on Thursday night announced an arrest in the deadly Pacific Palisades hit-and-run that killed David Pregerson, UCLA graduate and son of a federal judge.
Michael Vuong, 66, was arrested about 5 p.m. Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Vuong, a resident of the Palms area, was booked for vehicular manslaughter and will be arraigned Monday.
A driver in an unknown vehicle hit Pregerson, 23, on Dec. 27 about 3 a.m., at Chautauqua Boulevard and Borgos Place in Pacific Palisades, police said. The vehicle was driving south on Chautauqua and hit Pregerson who was in the roadway, police said.
He had been walking home from a bar, friends said.
The driver of the car continued to drive south on Chautauqua and did not stop, authorities said.
Pregerson died at a hospital on New Year’s Eve.
Pregerson’s grandfather, Harry, was a 9th Circuit Court judge. His father, Dean, was a U.S. District Court judge, said Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Friends remembered him as a fun, but dedicated man who aspired to be a director.
"He was going to be the next Steven Spielberg," said Gregory Martin.
A $100,000 reward was offered for information leading to the arrest of the driver who hit him and fled. Pregerson's father and grandfather were both prominent federal judges.
