License plate readers track down hit-and-run suspect in El Cajon
EL CAJON, Calif. — Thanks to witnesses and El Cajon’s Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system, a 19-year-old driver was arrested Tuesday after police say he struck a 70-year-old pedestrian and fled the scene.
According to the El Cajon Police Department, officers responded around 3:28 p.m. Tuesday to reports of a vehicle-versus-pedestrian collision in the 400 block of Fletcher Parkway. When officers arrived, they found the victim suffering from a serious head injury. He was taken to a nearby hospital and is expected to survive.
Witnesses provided officers with a detailed description of the suspect vehicle, including the license plate number. Police dispatchers used the department’s ALPR technology to track the vehicle as it moved through the city. Images captured by the system showed front-end damage matching the description of the car involved in the crash.
Within minutes, officers located and detained the driver, later identified as 19-year-old Brian Guevara. Police say Guevara admitted to being involved in the hit-and-run and was booked into county jail on hit-and-run charges.
“This case highlights how technology and strong community partnerships help us solve crimes quickly and keep our streets safer,” said El Cajon Police Chief Jeremiah Larson.
Anyone with additional information about the collision is encouraged to contact the El Cajon Police Department.
