CARLSBAD — A 26-year-old Escondido man has been arrested in connection with a fatal hit-and-run on Carlsbad Boulevard just north of Tower 35 at Tamarack State Beach, police said.
Officers arrested Fernando Saldana after an investigation that included license plate readers and air support from the San Diego Police Department and San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, according to the Carlsbad Police Department.
Officers responded to reports of a collision involving a pedestrian and a vehicle in the 3800 block of Carlsbad Boulevard around 7:46 p.m. Sept. 15.
The vehicle had fled, and officers found the pedestrian with major injuries, according to a release. The pedestrian was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead.
The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office had not released the pedestrian’s identity as of noon Sept. 16.
Investigators used evidence gathered at the scene, interviews, license plate readers and air support to identify and locate Saldana. Police arrested him and booked him at the Vista Detention Facility.
Police suspect alcohol contributed to the collision. The investigation remains ongoing.
Saldana has a prior DUI conviction, according to a release.
