Arrest made in Pomona hit-and-run death of man in wheelchair

POMONA, Calif. (KABC) -- A 44-year-old Ontario man was arrested Monday in the hit-and-run death of a man in a wheelchair in Pomona Sunday night, police said.

The suspect was identified as Alejandro Ambriz, 44, of Ontario. He was facing charges of vehicular manslaughter and felony hit and run, according to the Pomona Police Department.

The crash happened at about 11:12 p.m. in the 900 block of Holt Avenue, Pomona police said.

A 49-year-old transient in a wheelchair, identified as Charles Atterberry, was struck and killed Sunday night by a hit-and-run driver in Pomona, authorities said.

He was apparently in a wheelchair because he was struck by a car several years ago and lost a leg.

The vehicle was described as a gray 2004 Saab four-door sedan with California license plate 7SQJ485. One of the license plates was knocked off and left at the scene.

The registered owner of the vehicle told police the Saab had been repossessed several months ago.

Police said Ambriz obtained the vehicle from his employer, a used-car dealer in Ontario, and they say he was driving without a valid license at the time of the collision. He called a friend to pick him up and recover the car after the crash and it was taken to a nearby auto body shop in Montclair, investigators said.

An anonymous witness helped lead police to the suspect.

Anyone with additional information about the crash is asked to call the Pomona Police Department at (909) 620-2081.