UPDATE (Saturday, 5 p.m.) — The Atascadero Police Department (APD) has released the identity of the suspect charged with killing an 11-year-old boy in a hit-and-run collision on Friday.
Authorities say 31-year-old Atascadero resident Zachary Bernal was arrested after being identified as the driver responsible for the fatal crash on the 10800 block of El Camino Real.
Bernal is facing charges of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and felony hit-and-run resulting in death or injury.
APD says the investigation remains active, and that officials are continuing to gather evidence related to the case.
(Saturday, 12:30 p.m.) — The Atascadero Police Department (APD) has released new details regarding the hit-and-run collision in Atascadero that killed one boy on Friday.
Authorities say APD officers and Atascadero Fire & Emergency Services crews responded to a report of a traffic collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian on the 10800 block of El Camino Real at around 2:54 p.m.
Upon arrival, emergency personnel reportedly found the victim— who APD identifies as an 11-year-old boy— lying unresponsive on the ground.
Despite lifesaving efforts, officials say the victim succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
An investigation conducted by APD's Collision Response Team reportedly found that the victim was walking northbound on the east sidewalk of El Camino Real when a vehicle veered off the roadway and struck him from behind.
Authorities say patrol officers were able to locate the suspect vehicle, a 2003 Ford F-150, using community-provided video footage.
The truck had been abandoned behind an apartment building a few blocks away from the crash site, according to APD.
The agency did not comment on the identity or status of the suspect driver.
In an email sent to families on Friday evening, the Superintendent of the Atascadero Unified School District reported that an Atascadero Middle School student had "tragically passed away."
APD officials did not verify that the student's passing was related to the fatal collision.
Community members have set up a memorial for the 11-year-old boy outside of the Danish Care Center near the site of the crash. As of Saturday morning, the memorial was filled with flowers, candles, stuffed animals, and messages of support.
Officials say the investigation into the collision is still active.
APD encourages anyone who may have witnessed the collision or who has security camera footage, photographs, or other relevant evidence from the area to contact the APD Detective Bureau at (805) 470-3252.
The agency adds that any images or videos of the suspect vehicle would be valuable to the investigation.
