Man, 34, Fatally Struck in Palm Desert, DUI Suspect Arrested in Beaumont

PALM DESERT (CNS) – A 34-year-old man died in a hospital after he was struck by a car in Palm Desert, and the man suspected in the hit and run accident was arrested in Beaumont, authorities said Tuesday.

Deputies from the Palm Desert sheriff’s station responded at around 9:30 p.m. Monday to the intersection of Highway 111 and Deep Canyon Drive to a report of a traffic collision, according to Sgt. Don Olson of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Olson said a silver Honda CRV driven by 21-year-old Christian Ruvalcaba of Palm Desert struck a pedestrian, identified by the Riverside County coroner’s office as Jaime Dodge of Palm Desert, and fled the scene.

When deputies arrived they found the pedestrian with major injuries and immediately began to administer life-saving measures, according to Olson. Dodge was taken to the Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, where he succumbed to his injuries at 10 p.m., according to the coroner’s office.

The suspect vehicle was found in Beaumont, where Ruvalcaba was found, allegedly under the influence of drugs, according to Olson. He was booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio on suspicion of a felony hit and run, driving under the influence causing injury, and vehicular manslaughter.

Anyone with more information about the fatal crash was asked to call Deputy Claro Sanchez of the Palm Desert sheriff’s station at 760-836-1600 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 800-782-7463.

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