Suicidal Man Crouches in Median, Repeatedly Dives into Traffic

A 34-year-old man was killed by an SUV after he hid in the bushes and made several attempts to dive in front of cars on 19th Street.

A 34-year-old transient from Idaho apparently committed suicide today by jumping in front of a moving SUV on a Costa Mesa street, a police spokesman said.

The man, for unknown reasons, apparently jumped in front of other vehicles before he fatally was struck, Costa Mesa police spokesman Lt. Greg Scott said. According to witnesses, the man who died was seen crouching near the end of a median strip, west of Pomona Avenue. The man’s position obscured his view from drivers, Scott continued.

Witnesses also told police the man jumped out from behind bushes on the median and deliberately jumped in front of an SUV driven by Noel Arias-Lopez, 43, Scott said.

Arias-Lopez stopped at the scene and was released by police after he was checked out for intoxication or any possible impairment, Scott said.

The apparent suicide took place shortly after 5 p.m. in the 700 block of West 19th Street.

The SUV struck the man in front of Rio’s Pawn Shot at 710 W. 19th St., Scott said.

The victim -- whose identity was withheld pending notification of kin -- was taken to Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana, where he later died from major blunt force trauma to his head and chest.

Anyone with information on the victim or the this collision was asked to call Costa Mesa police Traffic Investigator Darren Wood at (714) 754-5264.

City News Service