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4-Year-Old Killed In Santa Rosa Hit & Run; Suspect Arrested

SANTA ROSA (CBS SF) -- Santa Rosa police have released more information about a fatal hit-and-run accident in a crosswalk Thursday evening.

The 4-year-old boy who was struck by the vehicle in a Santa Rosa crosswalk died in a hospital Friday morning, Santa Rosa police Sgt. Rich Celli said.

His identity is not being released until family members are notified, Celli said.

Police arrested 22-year-old Marcos Lopez Garcia, of Santa Rosa, on Thursday for felony hit-and-run. He is being held in Sonoma County Jail without bail. His bail before the boy died was $500,000.

Garcia is scheduled to be arraigned Monday afternoon in Sonoma County Superior Court. Additional charges are expected to be filed against him.

Garcia does not have a current driver's license and has two prior arrests for driving without a license, Celli said.

The most recent Sonoma County Superior Court records show he was cited on June 25, 2010, for driving without a license and insurance. He pleaded no contest on July 27, 2010, and was given a 12-month conditional sentence that expired on July 27 this year.

The boy was struck around 6 p.m. in the crosswalk at West Ninth Street and Rockwell Place near Jacobs Park.

He was taken to a local hospital then flown to Children's Hospital in Oakland, where he died.

Leroy Flach, of Santa Rosa, was listening to a police radio and spotted a car matching the description of the suspect's vehicle and the suspect in Finley Park not far from the incident. Flach saw the suspect peeling a decal off the car's rear window, Celli said.

Flach said he then saw a woman in a Volvo sedan pick up the driver and flee, Celli said. He also provided the license plate of the Volvo and its direction of travel, Celli said.

Police found the suspect across town standing next to the Volvo in the 500 block of Sonoma Avenue around 7:50 p.m. Thursday, Celli said.

According to police, the suspect gave information that confirmed his involvement in the hit-and-run and was arrested.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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