Bicycle Accident: Pregnant woman dies after a hit-and-run accident
August 13, 2010
Gardena – A pregnant woman riding a bicycle died in a hit-and-run accident between Thursday midnight and early Friday, police said.
The victim was identified as Jennifer Costlow, 31, was four months pregnant.
The accident happened on Normandie Avenue near Gardena Boulevard according to Lt. Mike Saffell. Costlow’s boyfriend was with her but was riding ahead of her. They were riding south when a dark-colored car going west on 166th Street hit her from behind.
Witnesses who live around Normandie ran over to help as paramedics arrived. They claimed that Costlow was “gasping for air” and that blood was gushing out of her head. She was taken to a hospital but eventually died.
The authorities and her boyfriend informed her family of the tragedy at 2:30 a.m. Her brother Scott Costlow and father, Paul Costlow, said they did not know why she was riding so late at night.
Costlow is currently jobless and living with her father in Gardena. Authorities said they knew Costlow before because of her past drug records, which included arrests and convictions for drug offenses in 2005 and 2006.
Authorities urged the runaway driver to contact them, and for any witnesses to come forward.