Police on Tuesday were searching for the driver involved in a hit-and-run crash that left a pedestrian dead in Santa Ana over the weekend.
Jorge Luis Lopez-Lobato is seen in an image provided by family members.
The collision occurred in the 1200 block of West 1st Street (map) at about 1:43 a.m. Sunday, according to a news release from the Santa Ana Police Department.
Witnesses told authorities the vehicle involved -- described as a blue, four-door 2013 to 2015 Honda Accord with tinted windows -- sped up after the crash.
The car was last seen traveling southbound on Bristol Street, according to the Police Department.
Arriving officers found the victim, identified by family members as 35-year-old Jorge Luis Lopez-Lobato, lying on the center median.
A blue, four-door Honda Accord is seen in an image provided by the Santa Ana Police Department.
Lobato was pronounced dead at the scene.
“The victim in this case was walking across mid-block, not in a crosswalk. Had the suspect stayed, potentially this could have been just an accident … now it’s become a case, or a potential case of vehicular manslaughter,” said Police Department Cpl. Anthony Bertagna.
Investigators found the driver's side mirror and part of the front bumper at the scene.
The car should have substantial damage to the front end, according to the news release.
Anyone with information was asked to contact Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.
