Behind the Badge
Anaheim police Thursday morning arrested a Buena Park man who they say sped off in his white truck after fatally hitting a female bicyclist Nov. 1.
Junior Rigoberto Lopez, 30, of Buena Park has been booked at the Anaheim PD’s temporary detention facility on suspicion of felony hit and run in the death of Daniela Palacios, 44, of Anaheim.
Lopez is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.
Surveillance video near the intersection of La Palma Avenue and Magnolia Avenue captured images of Lopez’s truck speeding off after Palacios was struck at 9:10 p.m. on Nov. 1.
Palacios died early the next morning at UCI Medical Center in Orange.
Police believe Palacios was riding her bicycle westbound, across Magnolia Avenue south of La Palma Avenue, when she was struck by the pickup traveling northbound in the No. 2 lane of Magnolia Avenue, south of La Palma Avenue.
Lopez was arrested with the assistance of Orange County Crime Stoppers, according to a news release from the Anaheim PD.
His 2013 Ford F-150 extra cab has been seized as evidence and the case will be presented to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for possible criminal charges, police said.
