9-year-old on scooter with brother killed by accused DUI driver, CA cops say

A 9-year-old was killed after being hit by a man accused of driving under the influence, California officials said.

Officers responded after getting reports of a boy, later identified as Nadir Gavarrete, having been hit by a driver at about 7:30 p.m. July 31, according to a post on X by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Gavarrete had been riding an electric scooter with his 19-year-old brother when the RV driver, later identified as 46-year-old Jimmy Pittman, hit them, officials told KTLA.

“He almost ran me over... I just got out the way quickly and then he hit some babies,” witness Candy Williams told ABC 7. “He’s always driving too fast and I’m like ‘are you high or what?’ and he was like ‘don’t worry about it’... and I was like ‘you’re going to kill somebody.’”

Gavarrete was pronounced dead at the scene and his brother was taken to the hospital in stable condition, officers said.

Pittman was arrested at the scene on charges of driving under the influence, officials said.

This story was originally published August 1, 2025 at 12:56 PM.