A teenager has been arrested in Huntington Beach, California, on homicide and other charges related to three hit-and-run incidents that police say were intentional.
The Huntington Beach Police Department said on Facebook that all three victims were bikers and one of them, 70-year-old Steven Gonzales, died as a result.
The suspect, identified only as a juvenile male with no name, specific age or other demographic information provided by police, was arrested Tuesday and booked at Orange County Juvenile Hall on one count of homicide and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon.
On Sunday, police responded to the first incident at around 10:30 p.m. local time. The first victim said he was riding his bike in the area of Brad Drive and Edwards Street when he was sideswiped by a car that then left the scene. That victim was treated at the scene for minor injuries and released.
While investigating the first incident, police received word at 10:45 p.m. of a second collision and a stricken cyclist near Heil Avenue and Springdale Street. That biker, Mr. Gonzales, would die while being treated by paramedics.
While investigation continued into both incidents, police received a third report from a caller claiming to have been hit earlier in the evening by a car while riding his bike in the crosswalk at Warner Avenue and Edwards Street. The victim said he incurred minor injuries from the collision at around 10 p.m.
Witnesses to all three collisions reported seeing a four-door black Toyota sedan with visible damage to the front bumper on the passenger side. The suspect was apprehended after police located the car on Tuesday.
Further investigation into the string of car-bike collisions is ongoing.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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