Last Updated on October 17, 2018 by CCAR Staff
As the memorial for a Redlands school crossing guard continued to grow Wednesday, police continued their search for a hit-and-run driver who killed him.
“I want justice for him,” sobbed Angela Helena on Wednesday morning as she stood near the memorial for Leonard “Bam Bam” Ortiz, 48, a lifelong Redlands resident. Ortiz was struck Tuesday morning by a dark-colored SUV at Orange Street and Colton Avenue. Paramedics took him to Loma Linda University Medical Center where he later died.
“I don’t know who could leave him there like that,” said Helena as she was hugged and comforted by Lugonia Elementary School parent Caroline White, who waved at passing cars just like Ortiz used to do.
Police had made no arrests in the case by late Wednesday but released an image of an SUV investigators say may have been involved in the hit-and-run. Ortiz was struck while riding a moped-type scooter east on Colton Avenue by a vehicle heading south on Orange after it ran a red light, police said.
Using surveillance video from local businesses, investigators determined that the vehicle had been traveling west on Lugonia Avenue before it turned south on Orange in the minutes leading up to the accident, police said in a news release. According to earlier reports, after the crash, the SUV got on the westbound 10 Freeway.
Police are looking for a dark, possibly charcoal gray or silver, 2003-2009 Toyota Sequoia or similar style SUV.
A recent study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found California leads the nation with the most fatal hit-and-run accidents.
Of the 2,049 hit-and-run deaths occurring in the U.S in 2016 — the most recent year with available data — 337 took place in California. It’s the highest number for the state and a 60 percent increase over 2009.
On a per capita basis, California ranked seventh in the nation.
“This is a growing traffic safety challenge and trend that is moving in the wrong direction,” Michael Blasky, spokesman for AAA Northern California, said in a statement.
About two weeks prior to Ortiz’s death, 14-year-old Jade Maldonado was struck and killed as she walked to Pacific High School in San Bernardino. The woman who California Highway Patrol officers said struck and killed the teen, Charlean Larue Welch, 55, of San Bernardino, drove away. She was subsequently arrested Oct. 8. Booking records show Welch lived less than two blocks from the crash site.
On Wednesday morning, many parents were left wondering how someone could drive away leaving a person lying injured and broken in the roadway.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Viviana Morfin, who no longer lives near Lugonia Elementary but said she had to visit the area to pay her respects when she learned of Ortiz’s death. “I still can’t believe it. He was such a sweet, kind man.”
Morfin and her daughter, Julia, 8, left a memento on the corner of Orange Street and Pennsylvania Avenue where Ortiz used to work.
Redlands police reminded motorists it’s a crime to leave the scene of a traffic accident.
“If you are involved in any kind of crash, you must stop and if it’s more than minor property damage you need to contact police and wait for them to arrive,” said Carl Baker, spokesman for the Redlands Police Department. “If you witness an accident with apparent or possible injuries, stop and call 911 and provide whatever information you can to police regarding vehicles involved, including type of vehicle, color, license plate or partial license plate number, direction of travel, description of occupants, etc.”
Leaving the scene of a traffic accident, depending on the circumstances, could be a misdemeanor or felony, Carl Baker said. But in the case of serious injury or death, a motorist could face up to four years in state prison if convicted.
Authorities ask anyone with information about the driver to contact the Redlands Police Department at 909-798-7681.
