Man, 21, Charged With Murder After Pedestrian Killed In Santa Ana Pursuit
SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — A 21-year-old man has been charged with murder for his alleged involvement in a pursuit that resulted in a fatal car crash Thursday.
Victor Sanchez has been identified as the man behind the wheel of the vehicle that hit and killed a pedestrian at the intersection of Flower Street and MacArthur Boulevard at 12:10 p.m., KCAL9's Juan Fernandez reports.
The incident occurred after Santa Ana police officers approached a group in and around two parked cars located on the 1000 block of West Central Avenue just before 12 p.m.
Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna told City News Service officers believed "some sort of criminal activity" was occurring at the scene.
A fight broke out between at least one officer and one male suspect, Bertagna said.
An officer fired shots, critically injuring a male suspect who was later pronounced dead in hospital.
Three male suspects fled the scene in a white Dodge Charger and led police on a chase lasting approximately 20 minutes.
The pursuit ended at the intersection of Flower and MacArthur when the vehicle struck the unidentified pedestrian.
The victim, described as a male in his late 40s or early 50s, died at the scene.
Bertagna told KCAL9 the vehicle was also involved in a hit-and-run.
The car was disabled upon its second impact, according to Bertagna.
Police say one suspect surrendered while the others attempted to escape. A second suspect was tasered. Another suspect was stopped by a police dog. That man was taken away by ambulance.
Police believe at least one of the suspects was armed. It is unclear if any weapons were located.
(©2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
RELATED STORIES:
Suspect In Santa Ana Pursuit Case Shot By Police Dies In Hospital
