California Hit-And-Run Crash: Burglar Fleeing Police Strikes, Kills Man And His Dog

In a hit-and-run crash in Long Beach, California, on Tuesday (May 26), a burglar fleeing police, struck and killed a man walking his dog.

Deputies with the Long Beach Police Department responded to a burglary at a licensed “marijuana related business” around 11 p.m. local time (2 a.m. EDT, Wednesday).

“The calling party advised that suspects were inside the business cutting down marijuana plants,” police said. The officers detained three suspects and another one, 26-year-old Jyvante West, took off in a Mercedes-Benz. This resulted in a high-speed chase which “lasted approximately five minutes and included both surface streets and the 103 and 710 freeways.”

During the pursuit, West hit a man, identified as 32-year-old Jose Hernandez, who was sent 100 feet in the air because of the force of the collision. The driver then crashed into a fence and was taken into custody. The victim’s dog, which was also hit by the driver, was killed in the accident.

Police suspect West was under the influence of drugs when the incident took place. He was arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, hit-and-run resulting in death and driving under the influence of drugs causing injury among other charges. He was being held in jail and his bail was set at $100,000.

The incident comes a week after an elderly pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run crash in Fishkill, New York. Fishkill Police responded to Dutchess County and found an elderly man, who was struck by a vehicle, lying on the road. The 71-year-old man was rushed to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to injuries. Investigation revealed that the accused, identified as 31-year-old Peter J. Churchill, was fleeing after stabbing his mother numerous times at their home.

The vehicle became disabled after crashing into the elderly man, following which the accused fled the scene on foot. Churchill was arrested after he was located in the woods. Meanwhile, his mother was taken to MidHudson Regional Medical Center and was later transferred to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla for treatment. She remained in critical condition.