Sacramento CHP officers arrest suspected hit-and-run driver after fatal midtown crash

A Sacramento man was arrested after a fatal hit-and-run incident early Saturday near midtown.

Gustavo Sampedro-Sanche, 44, was taken into custody on suspicion of leaving the scene of a crash in which he struck and killed a pedestrian, the south Sacramento-area California Highway Patrol stated in a news release.

CHP officers were sent to the Capital City Freeway near the P Street on-ramp about 12:45 a.m. in response to reports of a pedestrian running through traffic and yelling at passing cars.

While they were on their way, officers were told that the pedestrian was hit by a silver Volkswagen, which had pulled over following the crash.

When officers arrived, they saw a silver Volkswagen with windshield damage leaving the area. The Volkswagen was quickly spotted by a K9 unit heading southbound onto Highway 99.

Fire personnel declared the pedestrian dead at the scene.

The Volkswagen — which also had a damaged bumper, hood and headlight, plus a bloodied windshield — was pulled over by CHP officers.

Sampedro-Sanche told officers that he knew he had hit the pedestrian, but was scared when police arrived at the scene of the crash, according to the CHP.

He was given a field sobriety test but showed no signs of intoxication and was arrested on suspicion of felony hit-and-run and booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail.

The name of the victim will be released by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office after locating and notifying next of kin.