Driver Turns Self In After Fatal Accident : Investigation: A woman who allegedly hit and killed a motorcyclist, then left the scene, went to authorities later the same night, they said.

A 19-year-old Long Beach woman who allegedly struck and killed a motorcyclist on a dimly lit residential street turned herself in to police after initially leaving the scene, authorities said Tuesday.

Police said Suzanne Montague was apparently making a left turn on Foster Road at Copa de Oro Drive about 9 p.m. Monday when her car hit a man riding a Honda trail bike. California Highway Patrol spokesman Lyle Whitten said the man was traveling south on Foster at the time of the accident.

The name of the victim, a 37-year-old Rossmoor man, was withheld until his family could be notified. Whitten said he was knocked about 80 feet off his motorcycle and onto the pavement, suffering massive head and internal injures. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at Long Beach Memorial Hospital at 10:10 p.m.

Whitten said that investigators suspect the small motorcycle’s headlights were not on at the time of the crash. In addition, he said, the intersection wasn’t brightly lit.

“It was not real bright at the scene, so it may have been very difficult for this motorcyclist to be seen,” Whitten said.

After hitting the man, Montague pulled over and stopped, Whitten said. She later told investigators she looked around, didn’t see anything and took off, Whitten said.

“She went home and told her mother . . . she was involved in some type of accident,” Whitten said. Her mother then called the CHP and brought her daughter to the Westminster CHP station at about 11:30 p.m., he said.

During an interview with an investigator, Montague said she was not sure if she had hit the motorcyclist but knew she had hit something, Whitten said.

There was no indication at the scene or at the station that she had been drinking, Whitten said.

Officers arrested her on suspicion of felony hit and run but “due to the fact that she did voluntarily come into the office and since we are looking for witnesses, we released her pending further investigation,” Whitten said.

Efforts to reach Montague were unsuccessful.

The car she was driving, a 1984 Toyota Tercel, was parked in front of her Long Beach home and was later impounded by the CHP and placed in a secured area, authorities said.

“The car had extensive left front damage and blood splatterings on the left fender,” Whitten said. “There was glass and debris found at the scene that matches the car.” He added that the CHP will attempt to match the blood to the victim’s blood. There were no skid marks at the scene, he said.

“It is entirely possible for the average motorist not to have seen this guy,” Whitten said.

The headlight and taillight were taken off the motorcycle and sent to the crime lab to determine whether they were lit at the time of the accident “but it appears they were off,” Whitten said.

“We also had a witness who saw the motorcyclist before the accident traveling down one of the surface streets without headlights on,” Whitten said.

A spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said that tests will be conducted on the victim’s blood alcohol level as required by state law.

After an investigation, the case will be brought to the Orange County district attorney, who will determine if charges will be filed.