Arrest Follows Fatal Hit-Run

The driver of a speeding pickup struck two women who were part of a small group crossing an Anaheim street early Thursday, killing one and leaving the second seriously injured, police said.

The woman killed was identified by the Orange County coroner’s office as Arletti Gonzalez Leon, 24, of Santa Ana. The second woman, also 24, was taken to UCI Medical Center in Orange. Police did not identify her.

The driver sped away without stopping, but police arrested a man at home in Stanton about two hours later in connection with the case, said Anaheim Police Sgt. Rick Martinez.

Alberto Ramirez, 32, was arrested on suspicion of felony hit-and-run driving, vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence, Martinez said.

The pedestrians were crossing Lincoln Avenue near the Laxore Street intersection about 1:30 a.m. when the truck struck the women. The area, just east of Beach Boulevard, is a mix of homes and commercial outlets. Martinez said the group had apparently just left a neighborhood nightclub.

“There’s no crosswalk right there; it’s the middle of the street,” Martinez said. “The majority of the group made it across safely.”

Martinez said the Nissan pickup was apparently traveling west about 50 mph on Lincoln, an area posted for 35 mph. Police said they later found a truck matching the description of the Nissan in a parking lot near Beach Boulevard and Cerritos Avenue in Stanton.

The truck was damaged on the outside, Martinez said, and there was blood inside, leading police to conclude that the suspect was injured.

Ramirez, who was arrested at his home, appeared to have an injured right hand, Martinez said. He was treated at Western Medical Center-Anaheim before being taken into custody.

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Times staff writer Hector Becerra contributed to this report.