A California man is facing a felony hit-and-run charge after striking a pedestrian who was running from a security guard, police say.
The Fresno Police Department said officers responded to a hit-and-run near Fulton Street and Olive Avenue around 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 25 after a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle.
According to police, the pedestrian had left a nearby restaurant without paying, prompting a security guard to chase after him. The man ran into Olive Avenue, where he was struck by a vehicle traveling eastbound.
Instead of stopping to check on the pedestrian he had just hit, the driver fled the area, leaving the pedestrian with moderate injuries. Police said he was transported to Community Regional Medical Center in stable condition.
Tracking the Driver
Fresno police say members of the Central District Safety Team used a suspect description and Flock automated license plate readers to track the vehicle.
Officers eventually located the suspect’s vehicle near East Hammon Avenue and North First Street.
The driver, identified as 36-year-old Steven Jones, then approached officers and admitted he was driving the vehicle during the collision, according to police.
A DUI investigation was also conducted, and police determined Jones was also driving under the influence.
Charged and Cited
Jones was cited for DUI and booked into the Fresno County Jail on a felony hit-and-run charge, according to the police department.
An attempt to locate Jones’ booking information was unsuccessful.
Under California law, a hit-and-run becomes a felony if a driver leaves the scene of a crash when another person is injured or killed. The law requires drivers involved to stop, provide information, and give assistance to anyone injured.
ABC 30 reported that the dine-and-dash occurred at Indian Oven’s. The identity of the dine-and-dasher was not released.
It Was Ironic
Fresno police posted the news release on Facebook, and commenters quickly picked up on the unusual chain of events.
“Two birds, one stone,” one commenter wrote, while another said, “2 wrongs met destiny connected them.”
Others were more direct. “Sounds like the guy who dined & dashed got his karma!” one commenter wrote.
Jones is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.