Long Beach wants to partner with County for reward leading to arrest of hit and run driver who killed LB father, daughter

At the direction of the Long Beach City Council on Tuesday, the city manager will request to partner with LA County to establish a reward for information leading to the arrest of Octavio Montano Islas.

Montano Islas, 24, is a suspect in a hit-and-run in Long Beach that killed Jose Palacios Gonzalez, 42, and his daughter Samantha Palacios, 3, on March 1.

The crash took place at approximately 10 p.m. in the 6600 block of Rose Avenue, according to the Long Beach Police Department.

Palacios Gonzalez died at the scene, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office reported. His daughter was taken to a hospital, where she later died.

Police said their preliminary investigation revealed that a 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup “was traveling northbound on Rose Avenue at a high rate of speed.” The pickup “collided” with the apartment building where the father and daughter were located. The driver fled the scene on foot.

Montano Islas was described by LBPD as a Hispanic man, 5 feet, 8 inches tall, weighing 160 pounds. He has black hair and tattoos on his right forearm. A description of his tattoos was not available.

According to LBPD, detectives presented a case against Montano Islas to the LA County District Attorney’s Office on March 7.

Protest signs are seen on March 15, 2022, at the memorial set up at the apartment of Jose Palacios Gonzalez, 42, and his daughter Samantha Palacios, 3, who died after being struck by a driver. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune)

The exterior of the Bottom’s Up Tavern on March 15, 2022. Neighbors told KTLA5 they believe the suspect of a hit-and-run that killed a father and daughter in Long Beach had allegedly been at the local bar before the crash. The car struck an apartment building across the street, killing Jose Palacios Gonzalez, 42, and his daughter Samantha Palacios, 3. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune)

A warrant for Islas’s arrest has been issued for two counts of felony manslaughter, one count of felony driving under the influence, and one count of felony hit and run.

The reward established would be no less than $25,000, according to the proposal document.

“I know how important it is as a former police officer to have these rewards to get people to come forward that [have] any information,” Councilmember Cindy Allen said.

Vice Mayor Rex Richardson called the fatality a “deeply heartbreaking circumstance.”

“At the request of the community and the family, I am advancing this request,” Richardson said.

Anyone with information regarding Islas’ whereabouts or the fatal hit-and-run collision is asked to contact Detective Kevin Johansen of the Long Beach Police Department Collision Investigation Detail at 1-562-570-7355.