Unlicensed driver in Pomona arrested in hit-and-run crash that killed man in wheelchair

An anonymous tip led Pomona police Monday to the driver who allegedly smashed into a man in a wheelchair and killed him before fleeing the scene.

The crash occurred Sunday just after 11 p.m., when the man was crossing Holt Avenue. A 2004 Saab traveling east slammed into him, according to Sgt. Robert DeVee of the Pomona Police Department.

Officers found the man, whose identity has not been released, suffering from injuries on a sidewalk in the 900 block of West Holt Avenue, police said. Paramedics pronounced him dead.

The four-door Saab with the California license plate 7SQJ485 left before officers arrived, police said.

On Monday, an anonymous witness provided information that led to the alleged driver, Alejandro Ambriz, police said.

Ambriz, who lacks a valid driver’s license, obtained the Saab from the used car dealership where he works, police said. After the crash, Ambriz, 44, called a friend for help, and the car was taken to a nearby repair shop in Montclair, police said.

A resident of Ontario, Ambriz was arrested about 2 p.m. and booked on felony counts of vehicular manslaughter and hit and run. He’s being held in a Pomona jail and is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday, according to jail records.

An attorney for him could not be reached for comment.

The collision was investigated by the Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team.

Anyone with details about the matter is urged to call the department’s Traffic Services Bureau at (909) 620-2081.

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UPDATES:

6:30 p.m.: This article has been updated with details on the arrest of the suspected driver.

9:45 a.m.: This article has been updated with details from police concerning the hit-and-run vehicle.

This article was originally published at 6:30 a.m.