DRAGNET LAID IN HIT-RUN BIKE-RIDER VICTIM LIES NEAR DEATH.Byline: RACHEL URANGA Staff Writer VAN NUYS -- Cesar Hernandez traveled more than 7,000 miles, crossing dangerous rivers and borders that have killed thousands, to arrive in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . But it was a short trip -- a little over a mile -- from an English class that left him clinging to life Saturday. A hit-and-run driver hit-and-run driver n → conductor que tras atropellar a algn se da a la fuga hit-and-run driver n → chauffard m hit-and-run driver hit n slammed into Hernandez's 10-speed bicycle -- which he bought for $100 eight months ago -- as he rode home from Van Nuys Community Adult School on Thursday. The Salvadoran immigrant is in grave condition and doctors don't expect him to survive, police said. ``It seems like a lie, a dream, but I guess it's all real,'' said his childhood friend, Alexander Avelar, as friends awaited news of Hernandez's condition. Described by neighbors as quiet and hard-working, Hernandez was hoping to save enough money to help his wife and five children in El Salvador El Salvador (ĕl sälväthōr`), officially Republic of El Salvador, republic (2005 est. pop. 6,705,000), 8,260 sq mi (21,393 sq km), Central America. . He rode his bicycle to the grocery store, to work, to his English classes and to Balboa Park every Saturday to play soccer. But after a year of struggling to pick up day-labor work in front of Home Depot, he was giving up. Earning less than $300 a week, he barely made ends meet. While his friends were applying for asylum, Hernandez had been talking a lot about returning home. Last month, a deadly earthquake left his family homeless. And he was worried about his children. ``There is a family in (El) Salvador that needs him,'' Avelar said as he sat in his sparse apartment, eyes bleary blear·y adj. blear·i·er, blear·i·est 1. Blurred or dimmed by or as if by tears: bleary eyes. 2. Vaguely outlined; indistinct. 3. Exhausted; worn-out. from tears. ``I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. what to do for them.'' Hernandez is unconscious and his friends don't know how to get hold of his family. Police have his wallet and with it, Hernandez's only identification -- and possibly his family's phone number. Meanwhile, they are still looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. the driver of the gray sport utility vehicle who hit Hernandez and his bike and left them lying in the 15400 block of Saticoy Street about 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Immediately after the crash, the driver reportedly pulled over, looked at Hernandez's bloodied body, then got back into the SUV and drove off. The motorist is described as 25 to 30 years old, 5-foot-8 to 6 feet tall, heavyset heav·y·set adj. Having a stout or compact build. Adj. 1. heavyset - having a short and solid form or stature; "a wrestler of compact build"; "he was tall and heavyset"; "stocky legs"; "a thickset young man" with dark hair and a mustache. ``We are hoping that somebody saw something,'' LAPD 1. LAPD - Link Access Procedure on the D channel. 2. LAPD - Los Angeles Police Department. Lt. Steven Allen said. ``So many times, people saw accidents and assume others will call.'' rachel.uranga(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3741 |
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