Pickup Truck Slams Into Woman In West Covina Parking Lot, Driver At Large
WEST COVINA (CBSLA) -- A pickup truck plowed into a woman walking in a West Covina parking lot on September 22.
The driver fled the scene, police said. That driver remains at large.
The incident was captured on store security video.
CBS2/KCAL9's Lesley Marin spoke to witnesses who are having trouble shaking the disturbing hit-and-run accident.
Wael Aljouni told her the entire episode was shocking. It was his store that captured the incident.
"I've never seen an accident like that," he says, "And I never see a lucky lady like that."
The victim -- who is miraculously okay -- was walking through a shopping center parking lot on South Glendora in West Covina.
She was carrying a bag of take out about to cross traffic. Suddenly, a pickup truck backs up and violently knocks her to the ground.
As the woman lay there, something rather shocking happened.
"He opens the door and checks on her and he just keeps going," says Aljouni. owner of Circle A Liquors, "I hope they catch him."
Greg Carlos, owner of the Cove Cocktail bar added, "The impact looked pretty bad. Especially after he drove away. It looks like she didn't get up for a little while. We were pretty shocked to see it."
Another security video captures the time it took for the truck was backing up before the hit.
Aljouni says it happened around 1 in the afternoon.
"I think she hit her head," Aljouni says, "because when she made the report for the police, she said my head, my neck, her shoulder hurt."
The woman seemed okay minutes after the accident. Video captures her walking over to the sidewalk with a group of Good Samaritans.
None of the business owners Marin spoke to can identity the woman but Aljouni has a name for her.
"Very very lucky. She is lucky lady. I wish I could meet her," Aljouni says.
West Covina Police are investigating the incident as a hit-and-run.
Several business owners Marin spoke to wondered why the driver would stop but ultimately choose not to remain.
"I mean, they realized what they did," Carlos says, "but I still think that's pretty messed up for someone to knowingly hit somebody and still take off."
Aljouni finds it hard to believe someone could drive away like that.
"I don't think he has a heart, this guy," he says.
