ANAHEIM : Police Name Suspect in Injury Accident
Police have identified a fugitive who they say ran down seven members of a family earlier this week, severing a boy’s leg.
Gabriel Avila Vega, 42, allegedly drove his car over a curb at the intersection of Olive and Wilhelmina streets on Monday afternoon, pinning 16-year-old Jose Viramontes against a house, severing his leg, and knocking the other members of his family to the ground, Sgt. Harold Parkison said. The other members of the family, who were taking an afternoon walk, were not seriously injured.
Viramontes remained in critical condition Thursday at UCI Medical Center in Orange, a spokeswoman said.
Avila lived next door to the accident scene and fled on foot shortly after the accident occurred, officials said.
“We have many people, both in the community and on the police force, looking for him,” Parkison said. There was speculation after the accident that Avila may have fled to Mexico, but Parkison said that may not be the case.
“We have indications that he is still out there, although I can’t say for sure he is not in Mexico,” Parkison said.
Anyone with information on Avila’s whereabouts is asked to call the Anaheim police at (714) 254-1900.
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