Person of interest sought in fatal Santa Ana hit-run

SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- A tree trimmer was killed in a hit-and-run in Santa Ana Friday afternoon.

The crash occurred at W. 17th Street where the victim was picking up cones along the side of the road shortly before 1:30 p.m. The 25-year-old victim was flung 50 feet in the air and his coworkers from West Coast Arborists, Inc. witnessed the incident.

West Coast Arborists Safety Manager Ernesto Macias said the man had been with the company for two years.

The suspect and a passenger quickly fled the scene on foot into a residential area, leaving the heavily-damaged car near 17th Street and Roxey Drive.

"The only reason they did stop is because their vehicle is now inoperable," Santa Ana Police Department Corp. Anthony Bertagna said. "Both the driver, the main suspect, and the passenger got out of the vehicle and split in separate directions."

The driver is described as a Hispanic man in his 20s wearing a baseball cap and white tank top. The passenger is also described as a Hispanic man. Police canvassed the neighborhood for the two men.

Authorities are looking for Alejandro Rivas, 20, of Orange, as a person of interest in the case. He is on probation for multiple crimes, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Orange County "Crime Stoppers" at (855) TIP-OCCS.