MEDIA CONTACT: Sophia Rome
EMAIL: sophiar@ci.salinas.ca.us
CONTACT TITLE: Community Relations Mgr / PIO
PHONE: (831) 758-7407
RELEASE DATE: August 3, 2024
Salinas, CA – On Friday, July 26th at approximately 6:20 pm Salinas Police Officers responded to a very tragic, hit and run, vehicle/pedestrian collision at the corner of E. Alisal St and Wood St. When officers arrived on scene, they located an adult male with non-life threatening injuries and a three-year-old who was pronounced deceased on scene. Through the course of the investigation, Salinas Police have identified Ricardo Archundia Cruz (20) as the suspect and obtained a warrant for his arrest.
Detectives obtained information leading them to believe that Archundia Cruz fled to Mexico right after the incident. They immediately began contacting family, friends and anyone who may know his whereabouts. The suspect’s family was able to contact Archundia Cruz, and he was encouraged to return to the U.S. border and turn himself in. This morning, at approximately 9:00 am, Archundia Cruz turned himself into U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agents at the San Ysidro Point of Entry. Salinas Police Detectives and members of the Salinas Violence Suppression Task Force were at the border and took custody of Archundia Cruz. Detectives brought him back to Salinas and booked him into the Monterey County Jail.
These arrests are a direct result of the relentless pursuit of the Salinas Police Department, in collaboration with the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, and with the assistance of the US Marshal Service-San Diego. As is always the case, this arrest would not have been possible without the help of our community in providing information that was instrumental in providing investigative leads.
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