In a brazen disregard for public safety, a man has been slapped with a hit-and-run charge after colliding with a fire engine in Victor Valley, officials reported. Mike Angel Gallego, a 33-year-old resident of Apple Valley, found himself in handcuffs Saturday night after attempting a bold maneuver through a cordon of emergency vehicles responding to a medical aid call.
According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department, deputies and fire personnel were attending to an emergency on the 11500 block of Azalia in Adelanto when Gallego, reversing his vehicle to make way for an ambulance, struck the front of a parked fire truck. Fleeing the scene, Gallego was later intercepted by deputies after a prompt chase to Prairie Road and Blue Sage Road. The collision, occurring at approximately 11:28 pm, did not result in injuries, which perhaps is the silver lining in an otherwise reckless episode, as reported by the SBSD - Victor Valley Sheriff's Department.
The SBSD - Victor Valley Sheriff's Department details the aftermath of Gallego's hasty departure: "Mike Angel Gallegoe was booked at the High Desert Detention Center for non-injury hit and run." The arrest concluded without further incident in a scene that could have easily escalated, given the circumstances.
While the authorities continue to investigate, they are urging witnesses or anyone clutching at pertinent information to reach out. Deputy C. Padilla of the Victor Valley Sheriff’s Station is the point of contact, as stated in the official press release, urging the community to come forward with any details that might illuminate the night's events. Tipsters wishing to remain unnamed have been directed to the We-Tip Hotline at 800-78CRIME or their website for anonymous reporting.
