SBPD arrests suspect in PCH and Main hit and run traffic collision

Lake Forest man surrenders to SBPD on Sunday, Feb. 19

Seal Beach Police this week arrested a Lake Forest man on suspicion of being the driver of the  vehicle that caused the  hit and run  collision and injured five people on  Feb. 11. The individual, described as a person of interest in the case, surrendered himself to the SBPD on Sunday, Feb. 19.

According to Lt. Julia Clasby, the SBPD’s public information officer, the two victims who remain hospitalized have been downgraded from ICU.

Asked when the case would be submitted to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Clasby wrote: “There are several factors that will determine when the case is filed with the DA’s office. It will be several months at least.”

Police have not released a photo of the suspect. “Our policy has been to only release photos if we are looking for additional victims, which we are not,” Clasby wrote.

As of noon, Wednesday, Feb. 22,  a gofundme campaign to help cover medical costs for the five passengers has raised $44,360.

Background

According to the SBPD, on  Saturday, Feb. 11, approximately 7:11 p.m., two vehicles collided at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street in Seal Beach. The driver of the vehicle that caused the  collision fled on  foot and was not  immediately located.

Investigators from the  SBPD Serious Traffic Accident Response (STAR) Team responded to the  scene and worked with the  Orange County Sheriff’s Crime Lab to process physical evidence from the suspect vehicle. In the days following the  collision, officers from the  Seal Beach Police Department, with the assistance of West County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers, canvassed the  neighborhood to gather surveillance footage and additional witness statements.

The subsequent investigation by  the  SBPD Detective Bureau led  to the  identification of a person of interest, Jahson Imgrund,  23,  of Lake Forest.

On  Sunday, Feb. 19, Imgrund surrendered himself to the  Seal Beach Police Department. He  was taken into custody and booked on suspicion of violating California Vehicle Code 20001(b)(2) – Felony Hit  and Run with Serious Bodily Injury.

“I commend the  STAR team, the  traffic unit and the  detective bureau for  their diligence in this  investigation and persistence in pursuing this  suspect to keep the  community safe,” said Seal Beach Chief of Police Michael Henderson.

“We want to thank the community for  their support and assistance during this  investigation,” Henderson said.

The assistance of volunteers canvassing the  neighborhood, residents searching for  additional video evidence, and the  ongoing concern for  the  victims and their families illustrates how tight knit  the  Seal Beach community is,” Henderson said.

This is an  ongoing investigation.

Police are asking anyone with information about the case to contact Traffic Investigator Officer James Dowdell at (562) 799-4100 ext. 1627 or jdowdell@sealbeachca.gov.