UPDATE: In a mid-morning release, LBPD stated:

On March 28, 2019, at approximately 8:05 p.m., officers responded to the intersection of Harvey Way and Bellflower Boulevard regarding a traffic collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian in a wheelchair, which resulted in the death of a male adult.

Officers arrived on scene and located a non-responsive 29-year-old male pedestrian lying in the roadway of northbound Bellflower Boulevard north of Harvey Way. The Long Beach Fire Department responded and transported the pedestrian to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The pedestrian's identification is being withheld pending notification of the next of kin.

Officers also contacted a motorist who initially fled, but returned to the scene of the collision in his 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The driver was identified as 37-year-old Jesus Jorge Arias of Lakewood. Arias admitted to being involved in the collision.

The preliminary investigation revealed the collision occurred when Arias drove north on Bellflower Boulevard and proceeded through the intersection at Harvey Way. The wheelchair-bound pedestrian was attempting to cross Bellflower Boulevard eastbound in the crosswalk on the north side of the intersection when he was struck by Arias.

Arias was suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision. Arias was placed under arrest and booked for DUI and hit and run and is being held on $100,000 bail. Arias did have a valid license.

[Scroll down for further.]

Initial information was sketchy. Overnight LBPD Watch Commander Lt. Abe Yap told LBREPORT.com that at about 8:05 p.m. on March 28, LBPD patrol officers responded to Harvey Way/Bellflower Blvd after a hit/run injury collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian and found a man (adult) in a wheelchair had been struck. LBFD transported the man to a hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Lt. Yap said the driver initially left the scene but then subsequently returned and LBPD indicated the driver appeared to be impaired. LBPD's collision investigation detail responded with its investigation ongoing at our initial report.

Sponsor

Sponsor

Sponsor

Sponsor

Sponsor

Sponsor

Sponsor

Support really independent news in Long Beach. No one in LBREPORT.com's ownership, reporting or editorial decision-making has ties to incumbent Long Beach officials, development interests, advocacy groups or other special interests; or is seeking or receiving benefits of City development-related decisions; or holds a City Hall appointive position; or has contributed sums to political campaigns for Long Beach incumbents or challengers. LBREPORT.com isn't part of an out of town corporate cluster and no one its ownership, editorial or publishing decisionmaking has been part of the governing board of any City government body or other entity on whose policies we report. LBREPORT.com is reader and advertiser supported. You can help keep really independent news in LB similar to the way people support NPR and PBS stations. We're not non-profit so it's not tax deductible but $49.95 (less than an annual dollar a week) helps keep us online.