An Oceanside Police Department cruiser. (File photo by Chris Stone/Times of San Diego)
An elderly pedestrian was killed Thursday in a hit-and-run collision in Oceanside and police later located and arrested a 24-year-old suspect in the case.
The fatal crash, which prompted an hours-long road closure, happened around 5:15 a.m. near Mission Avenue and Mesa Drive, according to the Oceanside Police Department, when a westbound 2005 Toyota Tacoma struck the 76-year-old pedestrian.
Police located the truck, then detained a man, Valentin Hernandez of Oceanside, about two hours later, spokesperson Gina Avalos said.
The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Police withheld an identification pending notification of the family.
Eastbound Mission Avenue was blocked between Mesa Drive and Butler Street as police investigated the scene. Drivers were advised to avoid the area and use alternate routes.
Hernandez was booked into county jail in Vista and faces charges of drunken driving and hit-and-run causing death. He is being held on $105,000 bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Monday.
