A 64-year-old Hemet man on a mobility scooter was struck and killed by an alleged drunken driver, who tried unsuccessfully to elude police, authorities said Monday.
Ray Billings Jr. was hit about 10 p.m. Sunday in the 1200 block of Florida Avenue, near San Jacinto Street, as he headed to a convenience store on his scooter, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Hemet police Lt. Glen Brock alleged that Eugene McArthur Pamilton, 26, of Hemet was going eastbound on Florida when he slammed into Billings, causing the scooter to cartwheel into the curb, ejecting the victim onto the pavement.
Pamilton allegedly raced away immediately after plowing into Billings.
"The police department began to receive calls from several motorists, who advised they were following the vehicle involved in the hit-and-run and provided our dispatch with a location," Brock said.
He said patrol officers were directed to the 2200 block of Devonshire Avenue, roughly a mile away from the collision, where they found the suspect's vehicle abandoned. Within a few minutes, he was located and taken into custody without a struggle, according to the lieutenant.
Pamilton was booked into the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter, driving under the influence resulting in a fatality, hit-and-run resulting in death and parole violations.
News
Top news of the day
According to jail records, he has prior felony convictions in another jurisdiction, but they were not specified.
