O.C. Now

Costa Mesa

Police looking into hit-and-run accident

A hit-and-run car accident late Thursday sent a man to the emergency room, authorities said.

Costa Mesa police said the 11:53 p.m. incident took place in the 800 block of Baker Street, near the Shark Club. The victim, a 21-year-old Irvine resident, was found unconscious and rushed to Western Medical Center, authorities said.

The driver was described as an Asian male in a white Toyota Camry with the following license plate number: 4NHD477. According to preliminary reports, the driver stopped after recognizing he had hit someone, but then sped off.

The victim was admitted to the hospital with cuts and bruises, as well as a possible concussion, police said. He was listed in stable condition.

Police said the investigation is ongoing.

— Jacob Ashendorf

May is Motorcycle Awareness Month

Police throughout May will perform specialized motorcycle safety enforcement operations as a part of Motorcycle Awareness Month.

Motorcycle fatalities have risen steadily in the past decade, increasing 175% from 204 deaths in 1998, to 560 in 2008, according to the Police Department.

“Motorcyclists, per vehicle mile traveled, are 37 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash,” Christopher J. Murphy, director of the California Office of Traffic Safety, said in a news release.

Initial data for 2009 suggest the trend may be changing. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration predicts that California may see a 20% reduction in motorcyclists killed. There have been 16 motorcycle collisions this year in Costa Mesa, none of which were fatal, according to the release.

— Jacob Ashendorf

Mariners Christian gears up for annual musical

The middle school music program at Mariners Christian School plans to perform “The Music Man Jr.,” an adaptation of the well-known play for children, from Thursday to May 22.

Cole Webb Harter as Harold Hill and Holly McRuer as Marian Paroo will play the lead roles. Chris Baab and Tessa Prechel will also play key characters. Mariners teachers Tricia Heins and Andrew Levy are coordinating the production, which will be choreographed by Bart McHenry and directed by Andrew Levy.

The production is expected to draw a crowd of more than 1,000 over three days to the school campus, 300 Fischer Ave. Performances are at 6:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday and at 2 p.m. May 22.

Advance tickets can be purchased for $5 for children and $10 for adults at www.marinerschristianschool.org. Tickets at the door will be $10. For information go to the website or call (714) 437-1700.

— Staff reports