Update — August 17, 2025, 3:00 PM
El Cajon police say they have arrested the suspected driver in Sunday morning’s fatal hit-and-run on East Chase Avenue.
In a statement, the department said officers used automated license plate readers to track the white GMC SUV involved. The vehicle was found unoccupied on Sandalwood Drive with an airbag deployed and damage consistent with the crash. Officers then contacted an adult male at the associated residence, who “displayed signs of intoxication and admitted to being the driver,” according to the statement.
He was taken into custody without incident.
Police added, “Utility crews were called to manage the damaged hydrant and utility pole,” which had initially delayed aid to the victim at the scene.
The full original story continues below.
El Cajon — A deadly hit-and-run crash early Sunday morning left a pedestrian dead on East Chase Avenue.
Just after 1 a.m., police and fire crews responded to reports of a person struck by a vehicle in front of the Arco gas station. Witnesses said the victim, believed to be a woman, had been pushing a shopping cart when she was hit by a white, older-model GMC SUV.
The SUV continued through the scene, striking a fire hydrant and snapping a utility pole. The impact unleashed a flood of water and created a possible electrical hazard from nearby power lines. Responders were forced to hold back until Helix Water and SDG&E crews made the scene safe. By the time they reached the victim, she had died from her injuries.
El Cajon police investigators reviewed security footage from nearby businesses, which captured both the crash and the SUV’s license plate. Officers then used the city’s Flock camera system to track the suspect vehicle inside El Cajon. While the SUV has since been located, the driver has not been found and remains at large.
Police have not released the victim’s name.
