A family is in mourning after their patriarch was killed in a hit-and-run in Newport Beach earlier this week.
A press release from the Newport Beach Police Department indicates that officers were dispatched to the area of North Jamboree Road and Sea Vista Drive on reports of a vehicle colliding with a pedestrian on July 16 at 9:39 p.m.
“Information was provided indicating that the driver of a silver Toyota Camry left the scene northbound without stopping to render aid,” the Newport Beach Police Department release stated. “[First responders] provided life saving measures to the pedestrian involved, but he was ultimately declared deceased at the scene.”
The driver of the Camry was located less than half a mile away from the crash scene, near the intersection of Jamboree and Santa Barbara Drive, and taken into custody, NBPD said.
He was identified as Jesus A. Bartolo, 30, of Santa Ana.
While not immediately identified by police, the victim’s family identified him as Roman Lizaola-Montano.
According to Lizaola-Montano’s daughter Tandra, her father was walking towards a bus stop after his shift at a local Pavilions grocery store when he was struck by Bartolo.
“This was very unexpected and tragic,” she told KTLA. “My father was a loving father of three children, very hardworking and he worked at a Pavilions store where all his coworkers shared that he was greatly loved and cared for.”
“The immense pain that my siblings and I are feeling is indescribable,” Tandra added. “We are devastated by this senseless loss and are seeking comfort and justice in this difficult time.”
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family with funeral expenses. Click here to donate.
Anyone with more information surrounding the fatal collision is asked to contact the Newport Beach Police Department by calling Detective A. Laverty at 949-644-3747 or by emailing alaverty@hbpd.org.