Police trying to find driver in hit-and-run

Deepa Bharath

Police are looking for the hit-and-run driver who fled the scene

after hitting and critically injuring a 24-year-old Los Angeles man

as he was crossing an intersection Monday night, officials said.

The victim was walking across the intersection of MacArthur

Boulevard and Bonita Canyon Road at about 9:25 p.m. using a marked

crosswalk when he was hit by a dark-colored sedan, which was

traveling north on MacArthur, said Newport Beach Police Sgt. Steve

Shulman. Police are not releasing the victim’s name, pending

notification of family members.

“The impact carried the pedestrian about 120 feet,” Shulman said.

The man suffered massive head, leg and abdominal injuries and was

transported to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana where he underwent

emergency surgery, he said. The man remained in critical condition on

Tuesday.

The car, possibly a BMW, did not slow or stop after the collision

and continued north on MacArthur Boulevard toward the Corona del Mar

Freeway, Shulman said.

A woman who witnessed the incident called 911 right away, he said.

She also told police that one of the car’s headlights and auxiliary

lights were damaged, possibly on the left side. The car’s windshield

may also have been damaged, Shulman said.

“The department is encouraging the driver of the vehicle to come

forward as it has yet to be determined who was at fault in the

accident,” he said.

The witness saw the man using the crosswalk, but investigators are

still trying to determine whether he crossed the street when the

traffic signal was in the “Walk” or “Don’t Walk” mode, Shulman said.

Anyone who saw the collision or has information about the suspect

vehicle is asked to call Newport Beach Police Traffic Investigator

Mark Fisher at (949) 644-3746.