Man, dog killed in Sherman Oaks hit-and-run with damaged Maserati abandoned nearby

Los Angeles police are searching for a suspect who was driving a Maserati that allegedly hit and killed a man and a dog late Tuesday in Sherman Oaks before fleeing the scene on foot. 

Police said that the crash was reported around 11:30 p.m. in the area of the 4400 block of Woodman Avenue. They said that the suspect was driving northbound on Woodman and was passing Moorpark Street when they struck the pedestrian and dog as they were on a walk. 

The man was transported to a local hospital, where he later died. He hasn't yet been identified by police, but family members identified him as 80-year-old Andriy Korshunov. His dog, Berta, was also killed in the crash.

A 2009 grey Maserati Quattroporte was found abandoned nearby on Mammoth Avenue with significant front-end and windshield damage and missing license plates. The vehicle was taken into police custody for further investigation.

A standing reward of up to $50,000 is available for community members who provide information that leads to the identification, arrest and conviction of the suspect through the Los Angeles Administrative Code's Hit-and-Run Reward Program Trust Fund.

Korshunov's daughter, Ilana Ceitlin, said that he moved to the United States in 2022 to escape the war in Ukraine. 

"He was so kind and he loved this country and was very grateful for America to give him a peaceful life," Ceitlin said. "He was a very funny person. King, loving, he liked to play cards. ... I loved to take care of him and he took care of me."

He adopted Berta, a service dog, to help with anxiety he suffered after a car accident in 2003, Ceitlin said. 

"She was his life after my mom passed away. I hope he's in heaven with my mom and dog," she said. 

She said that without her father, she feels "totally alone."

"He filled my life with joy. It was meaningful. Now, I feel like, 'What am I living for?' I don't know what I'm living for," Ceitlin said. 

She's begging the driver responsible to come forward. 

"If you did something, take responsibility for that. Help the person who you hit," she said. "I mean, what kind of person is this?"

No arrests have yet been reported by police. As their search continued, they asked anyone who may have witnessed the collision to contact LAPD's Valley Traffic Division detectives at (818) 644-8116.