Officials have released the photo of the hit-and-run vehicle, which they believe, crashed into 53-year-old William Alvarez the evening of December 2, 2013. According to a CBS Los Angeles news report, the image released by police shows a 2002 Chevy Blazer with the California license plate 6UTD023, driving away from where Alvarez was fatally struck. Officials say the owner of the vehicle is Tommy Alan Kormillio, who they believe, was also driving the SUV at the time of the collision.
Ongoing Investigation
Alvarez was crossing the street near the intersection of Baseline and Sterling avenues in Highland when the suspected vehicle hit him. He was then run over by another car, but neither driver stopped to check on Alvarez. Officials say based on their preliminary investigation that it appeared the victim was not using the crosswalk.
Officials are still looking into who had the right of way at the time. They collected evidence including debris from the two vehicles. Alvarez was apparently hit with such force that he was knocked out of some of his clothing and a vehicle lost its hood. His family members have sent out an emotional plea for the drivers to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Highland Police Department at (909) 425-9793.
Leaving the Scene of a Crash
Based on this news report, it appears that not one, but both cars that hit Alvarez left the scene, leaving the victim critically injured and lying on the roadway. Appalling! Under California Vehicle Code 20001 (a), leaving the scene of a crash is against the law. The law requires motorists to stop immediately after an injury or fatal crash, wait until authorities arrive, exchange pertinent information with the other parties and most importantly, get help for the injured victims. In this case, the motorists did none of the above.
If you have any information about this incident, please call our dedicated hit-and-run website at www.hitandrunreward.com to offer an anonymous tip and to become eligible for a $1,000 reward.
Families of deceased hit-and-run accident victims struggle not only to get a sense of closure, but also with the sudden expenses relating to medical and funeral costs. In addition, if the deceased was a wage earner, they must deal with the permanent loss of that source of income. In such cases, families of deceased victims would be well advised to contact an experienced San Bernardino personal injury lawyer who will stay abreast of the official investigation and also tell them about how they may be able to seek compensation through their own auto insurance policy.