Tragedy struck Phoenix early Sunday morning when an 81-year-old man was fatally hit by a car, the driver of which fled the scene and was later apprehended by police. The victim, identified as Eduardo Ramirez Jimenez, was found deceased near the intersection of Bell and Cave Creek roads, with authorities confirming the cause as a vehicle-related incident, FOX 10 Phoenix reports.
According to the Phoenix police, they responded to a call about an injured person around 6 a.m. where they encountered Jimenez's body along with a damaged bicycle nearby; the investigative team noticed a vehicle in the vicinity that displayed damage aligned with the recent collision and shortly after, they detained 27-year-old Alberto Chilel Santos, and when taken into custody, he exhibited signs of impairment, he admitted to driving off after the collision however, he claimed he was not aware that he had hit anyone, ABC 15 adds.
The preliminary investigation by the authorities suggests Santos veered into oncoming traffic and then onto the sidewalk where he collided with Jimenez who, according to police, was standing next to his bike at the time of the incident. Santos has since been booked into the Maricopa County Jail, facing charges of manslaughter and leaving the scene of a crash, as the police continue to delve deeper into the circumstances surrounding this tragic event.
