PACOIMA : Suspect Jailed After Man Hit by Car Dies
A Pacoima man accused of hitting a man with his car after a brawl in front of a liquor store was arrested when the victim died the next day, police said Tuesday.
Michael Pledger, 32, was arrested on suspicion of murder Monday after authorities were notified that Oscar Morales, 26, of North Hollywood, had died as a result of injuries he received when he was struck by a car driven by Pledger, said Detective Mark Aragon of the Los Angeles Police Department.
Pledger was involved in an early morning brawl with Morales and 15 other people Sunday at a 7-Eleven store in the 12000 block of Vanowen Street in North Hollywood, Aragon said.
“An argument started inside the store . . . and escalated outside in the parking lot,” said Aragon. “There were people fighting everywhere.”
Aragon said the victim and suspect were both under the influence of alcohol. Police are still trying to identify other people involved in the brawl, Aragon said.
Investigators tracked down Pledger, who was on parole, near his home in Pacoima at 4 p.m. Monday.
Pledger is being held at the North Hollywood police station in lieu of $1 million bail, he said.
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