A man in his 30s was hospitalized in critical condition Wednesday evening after being struck by a vehicle in an incident authorities are now investigating as an assault.
Deputies with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department responded around 7:45 p.m. to reports of an injured pedestrian on Sitting Bull Street near Fifth Avenue. The victim was found lying on the roadway with severe injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital. He was later airlifted to a trauma center due to the extent of his injuries.
Witnesses initially believed the incident to be an accident. However, residents reported seeing the driver of a white Lexus attempting to drag the victim’s body out of the street following the collision.
Deputies detained the driver at the scene and placed him in a patrol vehicle. Authorities have not confirmed whether an arrest has been made, but the incident is being investigated under California Penal Code 245, which pertains to assault with a deadly weapon — suggesting the crash may have been intentional.
