By Raiza Giorgi
publisher@santaynezvalleystar.com
A transient man in his 40’s sustained life-threatening injuries after he was struck in the middle of the intersection of Highway 246 and Avenue of Flags Sunday evening, according to law enforcement officials.
Witnesses to the accident say the man was jaywalking in the intersection when a Chevrolet Silverado pick up truck hit him and then took off from the scene. They stood around the man and directed traffic around him until paramedics and law enforcement arrived to help him. The man received life-threatening head injuries when he was hit by a vehicle, according to Mike Eliason of Santa Barbara County Fire.
The man was airlifted to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital by Calstar and his condition is not known at this time.
Luis Alberto Ledesma
Photo contributed
A witness followed the Silverado towards Lompoc and provided Sheriff’s Dispatch with a vehicle description and license plate number before they lost sight of the vehicle in the Lompoc area.
Sheriff’s Deputies from the Santa Maria substation were listening to the call and staged in the area of the home address for the registered owner of the Silverado in the City of Santa Maria. At approximately 7:17 p.m. the suspect, 26-year-old Luis Alberto Ledesma, arrived at the address in the Silverado and was ultimately arrested. The Silverado was impounded and Ledesma was booked at the Santa Barbara County Jail for felony hit-and-run and two counts of felony DUI with a bail of $100,000.
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