Father-daughter Good Samaritans help catch hit-and-run suspect in Costa Mesa

COSTA MESA, Calif. (KABC) -- A 15-year old girl and her father are being called Good Samaritans after helping Costa Mesa police catch a suspected hit-and-run driver.

Police say a motorcyclist was hit by a car around 9 p.m. Tuesday near the intersection of Victoria and Maple street.

The motorcyclist was taken to the hospital and is now in stable condition.

Giannina Bauer and her dad said they saw the white Izusu Rodeo hit the motorcyclist then take off.

"Me and my dad chased him down to the the Pinecreek apartments and the cops came," said Bauer.

The brave Good Samaritans followed the suspect's car for nearly two miles while calling police about what they witnessed.

They said the driver pulled into an apartment complex on Fairview road, then ran inside.

Bauer said this was too close to home for their family.

"My uncle was hit in a hit-and-run and he has brain damage, so we drove, chased him all the way down here," said Bauer. "It was scary."

Police said they took the suspected driver into custody and this case can move toward resolution sooner because of the girl and her father.

"We are grateful and we thank the Good Samaritans that called this in and followed the suspect vehicle to another location," said Roxi Fyad, spokesperson for the Costa Mesa police department.

Investigators have not ruled out any factors in this crash, including speed, drugs or alcohol.