Roadblock Leads Police to Hit-and-Run Suspect

Bell Gardens police, seeking leads on a hit-and-run motorcyclist who fatally injured a pedestrian two weeks ago, set up a roadblock at the accident scene Wednesday--and by day’s end arrested a suspect.

Salvador Cruz, 42, of Whittier, was arrested in the death of Guadelupe Conde, 32, who was struck by a motorcyclist while walking to work Oct. 23. Conde died two days later at Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center. Lt. Frederick Freeman said Cruz was arrested at his home based on information provided by one of about 500 motorists police stopped and questioned between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m. at the intersection of Clara Street and Ira Avenue.

Before Wednesday, the only evidence police had was a motorcycle part left at the scene, which detectives concluded matched a 1982 or 1983 Honda V-45 motorcycle, Freeman said. Cruz was booked for vehicular manslaughter and felony hit-and-run.