A Twentynine Palms community is grappling with tragedy after a hit-and-run incident claimed the life of a local man, deputies of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department are now turning to the public in a plea for information that could lead to the apprehension of the person behind the wheel.
The victim, identified as Christopher Plummer, 55, was found critically injured on the evening of January 5, in the 75000 block of Amboy Road; the Sheriff's Department responded to the scene shortly after the incident, with deputies arriving at approximately 8:52 p.m. but despite efforts by the San Bernardino County Fire Department to save Plummer he was pronounced dead, a report published on Nixle detailed the incident.
Investigators, per the Sheriff's Department's Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT), believe that Plummer was walking along the roadway when an unidentified vehicle struck him; the area, notably lacking in both crosswalks and streetlights, presents a straight stretch of road with a dirt shoulder where Plummer was found, the vehicle in question fled the scene before law enforcement's arrival leaving behind little evidence thus far.
Continuing their investigation, deputies are diligently gathering video surveillance footage from local residences and businesses and conducting witness interviews, in hopes of piecing together the events that led to the fatal collision and identifying the driver involved, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is urging anyone with information to come forward and has provided contact details for Deputy Chris Jones of the Morongo Basin Station, and alternatively, the We-Tip Hotline for anonymous tips.
