A man is in custody in connection with a tragic hit-and-run that left a young father, his 5-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter in critical condition over the weekend in Orange County.
First responders with the Garden Grove Police Department and the Orange County Fire Authority responded to the area of Haster Street and Twintree Lane in Garden Grove Sunday around 7:30 p.m. on reports of the multi-casualty hit-and-run crash.
At the scene, medical personnel found a 27-year-old father and 25-year-old mother who had been riding E-bikes and towing their three children in carriers when they were struck by a motorist who reportedly fled the scene without stopping to identify himself or render aid.
Neighbors who witnessed the crash, like Enrriqueta Pena, rushed out to help the family. Pena said she saw the dad first.
“He had blood coming out, very bad,” she said. “I asked him, ‘Are you okay?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, but my kids.’”
All five family members were rushed to the hospital, three of them in critical condition.
The mother, Angela Mejia, who was treated and released, said her daughter, Gianna, is improving, though she remains in critical condition.
On a GoFundMe page organized for the family, Mejia said her son, Jacob, has had two surgeries for a serious brain injury and, so far, is not responding. She’s asking for prayers.
The 27-year-old father also remains in critical condition, while the family’s 7-month-old baby is in stable condition, according to police.
Many of the neighbors who saw the horrible crash told KTLA that the scene continues to play out in their mind.
“When I come [home], it’s everything right there,” neighbor Bella Olayo said. “I see the people, the bicycle and everything. I feel sad and angry, they’re kids.”
The driver, now identified as 29-year-old Santa Ana resident Ceferino Ramos, was taken into custody about a mile away. A Good Samaritan followed him after the crash and notified police of his location.
Officers quickly located Ramos, did a sobriety test and arrested him for suspicion of driving under the influence and felony hit-and-run.
In the parking lot where police located the suspect’s vehicle, the passenger side of the windshield was shattered, and a half-full bottle of beer was sitting on the car’s roof.
Police say Ramos was unhurt in the crash.
Authorities also say that a fake GoFundMe page has been circulating. KTLA has verified the GoFundMe link listed above for those who wish to donate.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is urged to contact the Garden Grove Police Department.