Anaheim man run over, killed by his own van as he tries to stop thief

An Anaheim man was trying to stop a suspect from stealing his van when he was run over and killed, police say.

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Wednesday, September 23, 2020
OC man run over, killed by his own van as he tries to stop thief
An Anaheim man was trying to stop a suspect from stealing his van when he was run over and killed, police say.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (KABC) -- A man was trying to stop a suspect from stealing his van when he was run over and killed in Anaheim Tuesday, police said.

Jose DeJesus Berrelleza, 33, ran to stop the theft when he saw the suspect get into his van he used for work, Anaheim police said.

Anaheim police Sgt. Shane Carringer said Berrelleza confronted the suspect in the area of 100 S. Melinda Circle at about 6:20 a.m., but during the encounter, the suspect hit Berrelleza with the van and sped off.

Berrelleza, an Anaheim resident, died at the scene.

The van was later recovered and several people were detained, but no one has been arrested yet, Carringer said.

Police are still trying to determine who was behind the wheel of the van when Berrelleza was struck and killed.

Police believe the suspect did not know Berrelleza.

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