Neighbors shocked over looting at hit-run scene in Mesa
JJ Hensley and Sarah McLellan
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 3, 2007 12:34 PM
Collisions are fairly common at Main Street and Horne, a narrow intersection in west Mesa, but residents were shocked at what happened after a pedestrian was struck and killed Tuesday evening.
Bystanders reportedly looted the victim's groceries as he lay dying in the parking lot shortly before 7 p.m. in front of a pawnshop near the intersection; they also stole items from a witness who was helping the victim, Mesa Police said.
The driver who swerved up onto the westbound curb of Main and hit the victim fled in pickup truck. Police recovered the dark-colored GMC truck at a nearby apartment complex but the suspect escaped. The truck is registered to Alan Ricardo Flores-Ocon, 23, and police want to question him
Rudy Rangel, an employee at Carnicerías Rancho Grande, near where the wreck occurred, was appalled to that learn thieves would rob a dying man in the largely Hispanic community where residents look out for one another.
"This is a very close community here, especially Mexican. If there's a problem here, people help," Rangel said. "For them to steal that man's groceries, I can't see that. We'll find those people and make sure it doesn't happen again."
Rangel said prostitutes and drug abusers frequent the area but that his customers routinely walk home late at night without problems.
William Gilbert owns Gino's Pizza, a business in the parking lot where the wreck occurred, and said he saw no one stealing groceries.
"I saw the whole thing. I was out there the whole time and people were just appalled at what happened," Gilbert said. "I saw no looting."
Police said the driver was northbound on Horne and lost control of his truck while attempting to turn left onto Main. The driver hit the bus stop and an elderly man whose name police have not released. The driver also hit another truck in the parking lot before fleeing.
The accident left a mangled steel bench marked with orange construction cones and police crime scene tape Wednesday morning.
Police recovered the truck a short time later at an apartment complex at 144 N. Mesa Drive.
Jodi Vancely was walking out of the drug store across the street when she saw the pickup swerve over the curb and strike the victim. She ran back inside the store and told cashiers to call an ambulance.
"There was a guy jumping around the parking lot yelling, 'Oh my god! Oh my god!' " Vancely said.
Vancely has lived in a nearby apartment complex for a few months, and despite the sordid details of Tuesday night's collision and ensuing robbery, she wasn't concerned for her safety.
"It seems to be a pretty good neighborhood," she said.
