Video showing the moment a van struck a woman walking across the street in Santa Ana was released by police on Thursday as the search for the hit-and-run driver continues.
The victim, Maria Gonzalez, was in the crosswalk when a white van driving east on McFadden Avenue struck her and slammed her to the ground as he turned right onto Orange Avenue just after 2 p.m. on June 7, police said in a news release.
According to Gonzales, she still had 10 seconds left to cross the street when she was blindsided. "I go down, my face in the floor," she recalled.
The fleeing driver then proceeded to run several stops signs as he was chased down the street by concerned bystanders who witnessed the incident, authorities said. None were able to catch him.
Gonzalez was hospitalized with moderate injuries from the impact, but she's since returned home with large, mottled bruises covering her face and body. She said she's grateful her wounds weren't more severe.
"I said, 'Thank you, God, because you gave me another opportunity," she said.
In video of the crash captured by a neighbor's camera and released by police, the van can be seen slowing down before the turn but rams right into Gonzalez, knocking her flat on the ground.
Neighbor Elena Chavez said the perpetrator's brazen disregard has raised concern for her family.
"I'm very, very worried about my family," she told KTLA through an interpreter. "We're afraid that we can get hit by a car at any time, and they're just going to leave."
Gonzalez said she does not harbor ill will against the man, but believes he does need to own up to what he did.
"He need to go to the police and explain what happened, because it's (an) accident," she said. "Now, it's not accident."
Police have only described the suspect as a bearded man who was wearing a hat. The white van he was driving is possibly a 2017 or 2018 Ford Transit, officials said.
Anyone with information can contact the Santa Ana Police Department's collision investigation unit at 714-245-8200.