Wheelchair-bound man, 83, killed in central Fresno hit-and-run

An 83-year-old man in a wheelchair was struck and killed by a speeding pickup Monday afternoon in east-central Fresno.

The deadly incident occurred a few minutes before noon on northbound Cedar Avenue at Floradora Avenue.

Police Lt. Joe Gomez said the victim was crossing Cedar in a westbound direction when the speeding white pickup and a dark gray Acura roared toward him. According to witnesses, the two vehicles may have been racing. The pickup slammed into the man. Both vehicles continued north without stopping.

Gomez said investigators are reviewing video from a stationary police camera, but aren’t ready to release the video.

Gomez said the truck is a full-size 1990s model Chevrolet or Dodge extra-cab with the word “Visalia” on the rear license plate frame. It has moderate front-end damage.

The driver of the truck was described as being a white or Hispanic man in his 40s with a mustache and goatee and long dark hair. The truck was last seen westbound on Princeton Avenue from Cedar Avenue.

Police are also seeking the Acura that was either racing with the truck at the time of the collision or in the process of overtaking the truck.

No other information about the dead man was available late Monday afternoon.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call police at (559) 621-7000 or anonymously to CrimeStoppers at (559) 498-STOP.

This story was originally published July 20, 2015 at 12:36 PM with the headline "Wheelchair-bound man, 83, killed in central Fresno hit-and-run."