Anton Schulz Arrested in Covina Pedestrian Accident
An 81-year-old man was fatally struck in a marked crosswalk on North Citrus Avenue
An 81-year-old man was killed in a pedestrian crash on North Citrus Avenue near Covina Boulevard on July 16, according to the Covina Police Department.
Detectives tracked down and arrested 66-year-old Anton Schulz on suspicion of hit-and-run causing death and vehicular manslaughter. He is currently being held in the Covina City Jail.
The victim was walking in a marked crosswalk when a Chevrolet truck struck him. The driver fled the scene without rendering aid. First responders arrived quickly and found the man lying in the road around 7 p.m. He was taken to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, where he died later that evening.
The crash remains under investigation.
Police have not released the victim's name pending family notification.
What happens next in the hit-and-run investigation?
When a pedestrian is struck in a marked crosswalk, investigators examine traffic signals, driver behavior, and intersection dynamics.
Candice Bond, managing partner at Bond Legal, said, "Drivers unfamiliar with specific intersections frequently fail to anticipate crosswalk locations or properly yield at marked pedestrian crossing zones, creating fatal collision risks."
"Legal counsel obtains intersection video surveillance, interviews witnesses about driver behavior, and secures traffic-signal programming records to establish the facts. Reconstruction investigation is coordinated to protect surviving families through evidence documentation and insurance advocacy," added Bond, who is also a national legal analyst for Accident News.
According to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS)%20Maps%20Description.), the state recorded 4,061 traffic fatalities in 2023, with pedestrians suffering a heavily disproportionate impact, accounting for 1,106, or roughly 27%, of those total road deaths.
How does a criminal arrest impact the community?
A criminal arrest addresses the violation of state law, but it does not automatically provide restitution to the grieving family. Separate from the criminal proceedings, families often pursue civil remedies to address the financial and emotional toll of a hit-and-run collision.
California wrongful death statute
Under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 377.60, surviving family members may file a wrongful death action. California applies pure comparative fault. The statute of limitations is 2 years from the date of death.
Recoverable damages may include loss of financial support, loss of companionship, funeral expenses, and the decedent's pre-death pain and suffering.
"Vehicle data recorders capture critical information about speed, braking, acceleration, and system failures during crashes. Attorneys working with surviving families ensure recovered data gets analyzed by qualified experts and remains properly protected during insurance and liability negotiations after tragic events," noted Stefano Formica, a national legal analyst for Accident News and of counsel at Bond Legal.