Fleeing man hit, killed by passing vehicle

SAN JOSE >> A man running from officers trying to stop him for a report of a gun was hit and killed by a passing SUV near The Plant shopping center early Saturday, according to San Jose police.

The driver of the SUV that hit the man left, and is now being treated as a hit-and-run suspect, police said.

San Jose police were called around 1:55 a.m. to the popular shopping center on Monterey Road after getting a call describing a man carrying a gun inside a vehicle in the parking lot.

Officers spotted the vehicle described by the caller, and as they approached, a passenger got out of the car and ran off, Sgt. Enrique Garcia said. The man ran east across Monterey Road and lost his footing on the center median, and fell down in the far left northbound lane.

Soon after, police said, an SUV hit and killed the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The SUV continued traveling and has not been located.

The man who was hit was not been immediately identified pending notification his next of kin. His death is the city's 23rd traffic fatality of the year and he is the 10th pedestrian victim.

Anyone with information about the case can contact traffic Detective Brian McMahon at 408-277-4654 or leave a tip with Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers at 408-947-STOP or at svcrimestoppers.org. Tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward.