Elderly Man With Dementia Fatally Struck In Santa Ana Hit-And-Run
SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — An 85-year-old man was killed Tuesday in a hit-and-run crash in Orange County.
KNX 1070's Ron Kilgore reports the incident occurred just after 5 a.m. in the 500 block of Euclid Street in Santa Ana.
Man Using Cane Fatally Struck In Santa Ana Hit-And-Run
Joseph Rudolph, who suffered from dementia, went missing from his neighboring home around 3 a.m., according to his son.
Rudolph was struck while walking across the street and his body flew more than 100 feet, according to officials. Santa Ana police also found his cane, dentures and shoes nearby.
"The odd thing about this case is where the pedestrian was crossing, the vehicle had the right-away," Santa Ana Police Corp. Anthony Bertagna said. "So had the suspect stayed here at the scene, the pedestrian would have been at fault in this accident."
About 30 minutes after the accident, police located a suspect in Garden Grove after he reportedly contacted officers.
"We got a call from an individual who was in Garden Grove, had driven home, contacted his family members and told them he had just hit somebody," Bertagna said. "They, fortunately, called us as well as had him call us."
Michael Truong Pham, 33, was arrested and booked on felony hit-and-run charges. He could also face possible vehicle manslaughter charges, according to Bertagna.
"You're required by law to stay at the scene of an accident," he said. "Obviously, he left a subject in the middle of the street who was dying."
