Juvenile arrested in connection with 3 allegedly intentional hit-and-runs in OC; fatal victim ID'd

ByABC7.com staff KABC logo
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Juvenile arrested in 3 allegedly intentional hit-and-runs in OC
A juvenile was arrested in connection with a series of allegedly intentional hit-and-run crashes, one of which was deadly, involving bicyclists in Huntington Beach.

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- A juvenile was arrested in connection with a series of allegedly intentional hit-and-run crashes, one of which was deadly, involving bicyclists in Huntington Beach.

The three incidents happened within a .5-mile radius across a time span of 45 minutes Sunday night, according to the city's police department.

In one of them, a bicyclist was fatally hit near Heil Avenue and Springdale Street. Officers found the man lying in the street with major injuries, which he did not survive.

That victim has since been identified as 70-year-old Huntington Beach resident Steven Gonzales.

On Wednesday, police announced the arrest of a male juvenile in the hit-and runs. His age and name were not provided, but he was booked at Orange County Juvenile Hall on one count of homicide and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon.

Authorities say that person is believed to be responsible for the deadly hit-and-run, as well as two others that occurred at Warner Avenue and Edwards Street and Edwards Street and Brad Drive.

A bicyclist that was injured in one of them reported that a vehicle intentionally sideswiped him before driving away.

Witnesses had described it as a possible black Toyota four-door sedan with significant damage to the front passenger-side bumper.

Details about a possible motive were not provided, but police said they made the arrest after they found the suspect's vehicle in the city.