SPRING VALLEY (CBS 8/CNS) - An 18-year-old man was behind bars Wednesday in connection with a hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian in Spring Valley.
Andrew Thazen of El Cajon was allegedly behind the wheel of the car that hit a 75-year-old man walking across Sweetwater Road near Tyler Street around 10 p.m. Tuesday, then continued north, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Kevin Pearlstein.
The victim, James Martinez, died at the scene.
A short time later, officers found Thazen and the Mercedes that was believed to have been involved in the accident at an apartment complex on nearby Troy Street, according to Pearlstein.
Thazen was arrested and was subsequently booked into jail on suspicion of hit-and-run causing death, according to the CHP and jail records.
A woman on the scene told investigators her stepfather, James, was struck and killed right in front of her.
According to the woman, she was dropping off her stepfather when she heard screeching tires, and through the rear-view-mirror witnessed him get hit by a car that left the scene.
Thazen was booked into San Diego Central Jail on suspicion of hit-and-run causing death. He was being held on $100,000 bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Friday afternoon.
If you would like to help, a GoFundMe page has been set up by the Martinez family.