Huntington Beach man faces charges of deadly hit-and-run in Fountain Valley

A 59-year-old Huntington Beach man made his first appearance in court Monday on charges of a deadly hit-and-run in Fountain Valley last year.

David Stephen Kennedy II was charged June 8 with felony hit-and-run with permanent and serious injury and a misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence. He also faces a sentencing enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury on the victim.

Kennedy is accused of striking 34-year-old Long Ta of Santa Ana about 6:20 a.m. Sept. 11 at Edinger Avenue and Ward Street, according to police.

Kennedy was driving west on Edinger Avenue toward Ward Street when the minivan he was driving struck Ta, who was walking north across Edinger Avenue while in a crosswalk with a green light, police said. Kennedy kept going, police alleged.

Ta died two days after the collision, police said.

Kennedy was arrested Thursday and made his first appearance in court in the jail courtroom of Santa Ana on Monday. He is scheduled to be arraigned July 1 in the West Justice Center in Westminster.

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