Police arrest driver who allegedly ran over a pedestrian in Santa Ana

Santa Ana police arrested a driver on Wednesday for intentionally running over a pedestrian.

It happened just after 9 p.m. on Tuesday night, according to the Santa Ana Police Department. Detectives initially believed it was a hit-and-run crash but combed through security footage. They noticed the victim was being chased a block away. 

"It seems like the victim is walking through a residential area," Officer Natalie Garcia said. "The suspect attempts to run him over. Luckily, the victim is able to run away."

However, the driver kept chasing after the 32-year-old man, eventually following him into a parking lot. The suspect ran over the man more than once. 

"The victim had significant injuries to his head and was immediately transferred to the hospital," Garcia said. 

It's unclear what motivated the driver to nearly kill the man. Detectives have not determined if there was a connection between the two.

"Our detectives don't believe that it was completely random," Garcia said. "It seems like some type of road rage."

Officers found a black Honda Accord with significant front-end damage about two blocks away from the crash site Wednesday morning.

After staking the car out they tried to detain the driver, but it turned into a short standoff. They eventually arrested him and impounded the car. He will be charged with attempted murder, according to police. 

The victim remains in grave condition. 

--Joy Benedict contributed reporting.