SCHILLER PARK, Ill. (WLS) — The Los Angeles Police Department is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in a deadly hit-and-run crash that killed a 65-year-old man from the Chicago area.

The victim’s relatives are describing the Schiller Park man as fun-loving and someone who could talk to anybody.

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Detectives announced the reward on Thursday as investigators continue searching for the driver who struck and killed Jose “Joey” Melesio on April 27.

The victim was visiting family in Los Angeles and planned to attend the Dodgers-Cubs series that weekend, according to relatives.

“He was sending us photos. He was sending us selfies, sending us pictures of where he was, about six or seven rows behind the dugout, the Cubs dugout there at the Dodger stadium,” the victim’s nephew Alejandro Hernandez said.

Family members described Melesio as a devoted relative and urged the driver to come forward.

“Just the kind of back and forth with them at the game,” the victim’s brother Bruno Melesio said. “I can just imagine him at the game, back-and-forth with family and just people in the crowd probably.”

Police said Melesio was walking when he was struck by a vehicle traveling north at a high rate of speed. Investigators said the driver did not stop to render aid, making the case a felony hit-and-run.

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Authorities described the suspect vehicle as a small, four-door sedan, possibly white, gray or silver.

“It looks like it could be white, gray, light gray, silver in color, but not too much of that,” LAPD Detective Ryan Moreno said. “We haven’t gotten yet, on video, a shot of the driver yet; so we don’t know nothing yet about the suspect.”

Police are also asking auto body shops to contact investigators if anyone recently brought in a small four-door sedan with front-end damage.

The family has started a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses and bring Melesio’s body back to Chicago.

ABC7 Los Angeles contributed to this report.

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