Two men killed, 2 injured in separate traffic incidents in Huntington Beach Sunday

Two men died and two men suffered minor injuries Sunday night in a series of four separate traffic incidents that took place in Huntington Beach within less than an hour, police officials said Monday.

One of the men killed has been identified, though the coroner at the Orange County Sheriff’s Department was still working to identify the second victim as of Monday afternoon.

In a statement released by the Huntington Beach Police Department, the first incident occurred at around 10 p.m. on Beach Boulevard just north of Speer Drive. The traffic collision involved a gray 2003 Lincoln Navigator and a pedestrian. When officers arrived on the scene, they located the victim in the roadway and transported him to the hospital, where he later died.

That man has been identified as 46-year-old Gerardo Granados of Huntington Beach.

Authorities said the 33-year-old female driver of the Lincoln Navigator remained on the scene and cooperated with officers. The vehicle appeared to be traveling southbound on Beach Boulevard when it struck the pedestrian north of Speer Drive, police said. The cause of that crash remains under investigation.

About half an hour later, police responded to reports of another traffic collision near Brad Drive and Edwards Street reported by the victim, who said he was riding his bicycle on Edwards when a vehicle intentionally sideswiped him before fleeing the scene. The bicyclist had minor injuries and was treated and released at the scene.

As they were investigating that incident, police were called a third time, at around 10:45 p.m., to Heil Avenue and Springdale Street, where a second hit-and-run traffic collision with a bicyclist was reported. The victim was lying in the roadway with significant injuries when authorities arrived and died, despite life-saving efforts by paramedics. That man has not been identified by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

As officers were investigating the first and second collision, the Huntington Beach Police Department received a third report by another bicyclist, who said that he was struck by a vehicle while riding his bike at around 10 p.m. near Warner Avenue and Edwards Street. The driver fled, and the victim had minor injuries.

Police believe that the three hit-and-run incidents are related, and witnesses have described the suspect’s vehicle as a black Toyota four-door sedan with significant passenger-side bumper damage. Detectives ask that those with information to call the department tip line at (714) 375-5066 or OC Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS if they wish to remain anonymous.