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Truck Driver Suspected Of Intentional, Fatal Hit-And-Run Arrested

SAN LEANDRO (CBS SF) -- A man suspected of killing another man with his pickup truck after an altercation over wood pallets in San Leandro has been arrested, according to authorities.

The fatal incident happened shortly before noon on Monday when the victim was hit by a pickup truck in the rear of a food supply warehouse in San Leandro in an incident that police are treating as a homicide.

Authorities say an employee at the True World Foods Distribution Center interrupted the pickup truck driver as he was stealing recyclable wooden pallets from the parking lot of the warehouse at 1915 Williams St.

The employee was struck and killed at about 11:45 a.m., San Leandro police spokesman Lt. Robert McManus said.

The man who was struck by the pickup truck was pronounced dead at the scene, McManus said.

Police said surveillance video shows that the man driving the pickup truck ran over the employee, left him for dead and kept driving.

"He tried to stop a crime today and paid the tragic price," McManus said.

It appears that the suspect may have been trying to steal wood pellets in the back area, as there's a large market for recycling stolen pellets, according to McManus.

Oakland police staked out recycling centers until the suspect vehicle was spotted around 5 p.m. at 47th Avenue and E. 12th Street in Oakland.

Once the vehicle was spotted, the suspect took off running. Officers chased after him and found him hiding under a parked vehicle on 48th Avenue. He was detained and arrested.

Aerial footage shot by Chopper 5 showed a light-colored pickup truck with pallets in the back being inspected by officers with numerous police units parked nearby.

The street was cordoned off by police tape as officers collected evidence.

TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

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