On Friday afternoon, emergency responders in Atascadero responded to a report of a vehicle and pedestrian collision on the 10800 block of El Camino Real.
Officials say they found an 11-year-old boy, later identified as Jose Gutierrez, on the ground and unresponsive. The boy succumbed to his injuries and died at the scene.
An investigation into footage of the collision revealed the driver of a 2003 ford F-150 veered off the roadway and to the sidewalk of El Camino Real, striking Guitierrez before fleeing the scene. The vehicle was found abandoned a few blocks away from the crash site, and the department has arrested the suspect driver: 31-year-old Zachary Bernal of Atascadero.
He is being charged with vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and felony hit-and-run resulting in death or injury. Officials are still conducting an investigation of this incident.
A memorial with flowers was displayed by the community at the crash site location.
