Man injured in hit-and-run crash taken to hospital

Initial reports indicate incident may be gang-related

A man was injured and rushed to the hospital Monday afternoon after he was intentionally struck by a hit-and-run motorist who is now the suspect of a hit-andrun investigation.

“This is a gangster on gangster incident,” Lt. Chuck Becerra of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station told The Signal Monday afternoon.

“Apparently, one gangster tried to run another gangster over,” he said. “It (injury) is not life-threatening.”

Shortly after 12:45 p.m. Monday, paramedics were dispatched the 24800 block of Railroad Avenue near 15th Street in Newhall for reports of a pedestrian hit by a vehicle.

“This was a vehicle versus pedestrian,” Supervisor Imy McBride of the Los Angeles County Fire Department told The Signal, noting the pedestrian was taken to the hospital.

One of the deputies who responded to the incident “went to the hospital” to continue his interview of the victim, a spokeswoman for the SCV Sheriff’s Station said.

A staffer inside the EZ Shop convenience store near the intersection said he heard a commotion between two men just prior to the collision. He then saw a goldcolored car with two occupants speeding from the scene.

The store worker said a man with a skateboard was seen arguing with two other men shortly before the collision.

“Customers told me they hit him with the car, they ran over him,” the store worker said

“I heard him wailing. He was in pain,” he said, noting the victim’s skateboard was broken in two.

Captain Ed Smith of Newhall Fire Station #73 on Railroad Avenue — also near the collision - described the victim’s injuries as “non serious” but described the hit and run motorist as “serious.”

A spokeswoman for the SCV Sheriff’s Station said she was waiting for an update from deputies who responded to the incident.