Semi Truck Hits Two Vehicles then Flees The Scene
Thursday morning a semi truck driver plowed into two vehicles. He then fled the scene and was later arrested. The Police Investigators were able to identify the suspect with the help of one of the witnesses. The mans name has not been released as of yet.
The CHP (California Highway Patrol) Officials say that the semi was heading Northbound on Etiwanda Avenue. At around two-fifteen that morning he ran a red light at the San Bernardino Avenue near the border of Fonatana and Rancho Cucamonga.
The Police Officials say that the Semi hit an SUV and a small Ford Sedan. The two people in the SUV suffered some minor injuries but the driver of the Ford Sedan died on impact.
Witness talks about the hit and run
I thought my heart stopped. It was crazy. I thought I (saw) my cousin just die right in front of me
This witness did not want to be identified. His cousin was also in the SUV with him, thankfully he survived the crash as well.
The driver of the Semi Truck did not stop after the crash. A witness of the crash had chased the Semi driver down half a mile to the corner of Etiwanda Avenue and Napa Street.
The witness talks about the chase
I was in front of him. I was telling him to pull over; he wouldn’t pull over. I was kind of braking, but it kind of looked like he was going to try to run me off the road.
The Semi Truck driver then approached the witness’ vehicle. The witness asked if he saw what just happened and openly accused him of hitting his cousin. The driver denied hitting anyone.
The witness then called 911. He watched as the driver then ditched the Semi and fled on foot! The Police and K-9 units scoured the large area of Fontana for four hours. The search came up empty. The CHP’s bloodhound dogs lost the scent of the driver near Calabash and Wittram Avenues…thankfully they eventually found him and he was arrested.
CHP Officer Johni Russell’s statement
I believe that without the witnesses and without what this witness did for us and the information he gave us, it would have been that much more difficult to apprehend someone.
The Police says that the semi truck that was involved in the crash was never reported stolen or anything like that. The Investigators were able to track down the owner of the big rig to a trucking company in Fonatna. It’s still unclear if the driver that was involved in the hit and run was the actual owner of the Semi Truck. The suspect was positively identified as the hit and run driver.
It’s unclear if drugs or alcohol were involved in the cause of the crash. The CHP says that the trucker will be charged for a fatal hit and run accident as well as cited for running a red light.
Daniel A. Gibalevich
