Mercedes recovered but PB hit-and-run driver missing

Police Recover SUV in Fatal Pacific Beach Hit-and-Run That Killed Beloved Bar Manager

San Diego police have located the white Mercedes-Benz SUV believed to have struck and killed 41-year-old Laqwente "Qwente" Bryant in Pacific Beach, but the driver remains on the loose.

Bryant, the assistant general manager at Tavern at the Beach, was walking home after his Friday night shift on February 7 when the SUV hit him as he crossed Garnet Avenue near Ingraham Street shortly after 2 a.m. The driver fled north on Gresham Street without stopping. Bryant was rushed to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, where he was pronounced dead. He was just a quarter mile from home.

The family confirmed the vehicle was recovered in Mission Valley. Police had released a photo of the SUV earlier in the week, describing it as a white Mercedes GLS or GLA model with damage to the passenger-side headlight. Crime Stoppers offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

Known as "Q" to everyone in PB, Bryant was a fixture along Garnet Avenue who had traveled to more than 20 countries and had a gift for building friendships wherever he went. Tavern at the Beach shut down for several days to mourn, and a memorial grew on the restaurant's front steps. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support his family.

Bryant's death marks the second fatal hit-and-run in Pacific Beach in less than a month. Six-year-old Hudson O'Loughlin was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Pacific Beach Drive in January, just half a mile away. Data shows 79 crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists occurred within that same half-mile radius between 2021 and 2025.

Bryant's brother issued a direct plea to the unknown driver, urging them to come forward and give the family closure. Anyone with information can call SDPD's Traffic Division at 858-495-7861 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

Sources: FOX 5 | NBC 7 | 10News | San Diego Union-Tribune | CBS 8 | SanDiegoVille