Missing Man With Alzheimer’s, 65, Killed in Hit-and-Run

A Texas man, missing since July 5 when he vanished while visiting relatives in Anaheim, was killed by a hit-and-run driver hours after he disappeared, police said Thursday.

Family members, who have been searching for 65-year-old Teodoro Carreon for nearly a month, identified his body Thursday at the Orange County coroner’s office.

Carreon suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and had wandered off once before near his home in San Elizario, Tex., family members said.

Carreon was struck by a car as he crossed Garden Grove Boulevard near 9th Street about 4:15 p.m. July 5, Garden Grove police said. He was taken to UCI Medical Center, where he died a few hours later.

But it took several weeks for authorities to identify him because he was carrying identification that bore the name “Teodoro Balderrama” at the time of his death, Anaheim police said.

As a result, the coroner’s office initially filed the case under the name “Balderrama.” Earlier this week, a deputy coroner saw Carreon’s picture on television and recognized him as Balderrama, according to the police statement.

An Anaheim police spokesman said Thursday that he didn’t know why Carreon was carrying the identification or if Balderrama was some sort of alias or middle name. Carreon’s family in Anaheim and Texas could not be reached for comment Thursday evening.

Carreon disappeared after walking outside his niece’s home near Walnut and Katella avenues.

Garden Grove police are seeking the driver of the car that hit Carreon.