DES MOINES, IA (May 24, 2026) — A 61-year-old pedestrian, Kathleen Peterson, was killed early Sunday morning in a hit-and-run crash in Des Moines, Polk County, according to the Des Moines Police Department.
Authorities said Peterson was walking in the 1000 block of East Railroad Avenue around 2 a.m. when she was struck by a vehicle. Investigators stated that the driver fled the scene immediately after the collision.
Peterson sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Following an investigation, the Des Moines Police Department’s Traffic Unit located the suspect vehicle at an apartment complex in the 2100 block of King Avenue. Officers identified the driver as 28-year-old Ludvin Zuniga Sarceno, with assistance from surveillance footage and information provided by local businesses.
Sarceno was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, a Class D felony. He also faces additional misdemeanor charges for operating without a valid driver’s license and failing to provide proof of insurance.
