CANOGA PARK : San Fernando Man Held Over Accident

A San Fernando man is in custody for allegedly fleeing the scene of an accident in which he hit a man police said was trying to commit suicide.

Ricardo Vazques, 23, hit a Canoga Park man who was sitting in the middle of Roscoe Boulevard about 2 a.m. Thursday, said Detective Bill Osuna. Vazques turned himself in to detectives Thursday evening, Osuna said.

Vazques had left his car at the scene after a group of the victim’s friends rushed out of his apartment nearby, the detective said.

“He just panicked,” Osuna said. “He thought that if he would go back, the crowd would beat him up.”

Police said if Vazques had stayed at the scene he would not have been charged with a crime, because the 29-year-old accident victim had put himself in harm’s way. Vazques, who Osuna said does not have a driver’s license, was booked on suspicion of felony hit and run, and is being held on $20,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned Monday.