Police Arrest Person Of Interest In Deadly Hit & Run
DENVER (CBS4) - Denver police announced they arrested a person of interest related to a deadly pedestrian hit and run.
On Tuesday, police say they arrested 22-year-old Isaac Paz.
The crash turned into a Medina Alert in which the suspect's vehicle description was broadcast on message boards along Colorado highways.
The crash happened early in the morning on Friday at Evans Avenue and Bryant Street.
It's been four days since Steve Marquez lost one of his closest friends and the shock is weighing heavy on his mind.
"I thought about him all day today," Marquez told CBS4's Kelly Werthmann. "I'm not going to see my friend anymore. I'm not going to see my buddy anymore."
The victim was identified as 59-year-old Victor Barela.
Denver police said the hit-and-run driver headed eastbound when Barela was hit. The driver did not stop.
"If I had a chance to get my hands on this guy," Marquez said, "I'd probably try to beat some sense into him."
With his grief comes waves of anger, but Marquez said he is focusing on the good memories he had with Barela.
"He and I, we go back the better part of 50 years," he said.
Memories take Marquez to a park not far from where Barela died. It's in the neighborhood where the two grew up and met when they were teenagers.
"This is a great loss, especially in my life," Marquez said.
Now, Marquez hopes his friend is remembered for the funny and loving person he was to so many.
"Victor was a standup guy," Marquez said. "If it was Victor behind that wheel and the other guy that was walking down the street and got hit by the car, Victor would not have left that guy on the street."