Comedian Perry Kurtz dies at the age of 73 after hit-and-run

Comedian Perry Kurtz was killed in a tragic hit-and-run accident.

Kurtz was crossing an intersection in the Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, around 11:30 p.m. on Thursday when he was struck by a car driven by a teenager, Los Angeles police said in a news release.

The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed his death immediately upon arrival at the scene. Kurtz was 73 years old.

His identity was confirmed by the Los Angeles County Coroner on Friday morning, and based on online records, The Post can reveal that his autopsy has been scheduled.

The LAPD has now arrested and detained an 18-year-old man who is believed to be responsible for the fatal hit-and-run accident. He will be charged with hit-and-run causing death, according to a press release.

“A gray Honda Civic was traveling eastbound on Ventura Boulevard when it struck and killed a pedestrian crossing Ventura Boulevard east of Corbin Avenue,” the release said. “The pedestrian was thrown eastbound before colliding with the roadway. The Honda continued eastbound without stopping, identifying itself, or rendering aid, as required by law.”

The police officers managed to find the suspected hit-and-run driver at his residence. They found that the suspect's vehicle was “found abandoned not far from the scene of the accident.”

According to TMZ, Kurtz's daughter Zelda Velazquez wrote on Facebook that her father was between comedy performances when he was killed.

His agent Dante Rusciolelli also spoke about his death, telling the Post: “Golden Artists Entertainment and I are personally devastated by this news. Perry was not just a client, he has been my friend since 1987. He was a fixture in the Los Angeles comedy scene for decades and will be greatly missed. Our prayers are with his family.”

Some people knew Kurtz from his audition for “America's Got Talent” in season 8, where he received three rejections after ranting about all the judges.

The comedian performed a show in Los Angeles earlier this week. A video of his performance was posted to his official Facebook account on Thursday, just hours before his murder.

After his death, fans shared their grief in the comments section.