Man Dies Trying to Block Truck Towing His Car

A 27-year-old man who tried to keep his car from being towed died Saturday of injuries he suffered when the tow truck ran over him, police said Sunday.

Jorge Morales Lopez of Orange died of internal injuries at UCI Medical Center in Orange, said Lt. Robert Gustafson.

The tow truck driver, Russell Welch, 34, was not cited, police said. An investigation is continuing into the accident, which occurred at 8:30 p.m. at the Orange Eastridge Apartments, 121 E. Trenton Ave.

Gustafson said Lopez, who lived at the apartment complex, apparently parked his car on a private lot without the required parking sticker provided by the apartment managers. As his car was being towed, Lopez got into a shoving match with the driver towing his car, witnesses said.

Even after his car was hitched onto the tow truck, which drove slowly down the street, Lopez ran alongside the truck and threw punches at the driver, witnesses said.

At one point, “the victim was knocked to the ground and ran over by the tow vehicle,” Gustafson said.

Few neighbors in this 24-unit complex saw the confrontation. Relatives and friends who shared the apartment with the victim declined to discuss the accident.

According to the manager of the apartment, Sebastian Pulido, Orange Eastridge has a contract with Tows R Russ of Orange to tow cars illegally parked in the lot, which is in the back of the apartment.

The towing company has a security officer who periodically patrols the lot, Pulido said.

The security guard apparently requested that Lopez’s car be towed, Pulido added.