VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A Virginia Beach man was arrested on DUI charges after police say he fled from the scene after hitting a pedestrian in the area of Shore Drive Thursday morning.
Around 8:15 a.m. Thursday, dispatchers received reports that a pedestrian was hit by a vehicle at the intersection of Shore Drive and First Court Road. Virginia Beach Police assigned to the 3rd Precinct, along with multiple resources from the Virginia Beach Fire Department and Virginia Beach EMS, responded to the scene.
Witnesses reported seeing a pickup truck traveling eastbound on Shore Drive as the pedestrian was walking northbound, crossing Shore Drive. The pedestrian was hit by the truck's passenger side mirror, knocking them to the ground.
The driver of the truck fled the scene and continued east on Shore Drive.
The victim, a woman, was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries.
With the public's help, police say they were able to get a description of the suspect vehicle and a direction of where the driver was headed. Traffic Safety Unit investigators were also able to find video evidence of the pickup truck on multiple cameras.
Officers canvassed Shore Drive and around 6:20 p.m., the suspect vehicle, described as a white Dodge Ram pickup truck with damage to the passenger side, was seen on Greenwell Road. Police conducted a traffic stop, and the driver was identified as 28-year-old Justin Barboza of Virginia Beach.
After further examining the cause of the crash, investigators conducted a DUI investigation, and Barboza was arrested and charged with DUI – 3rd Offense within 10 Years, Hit and Run resulting in Injury, Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon, Filing a False Police Report, Expired Inspection and No Seatbelt.
Barboza is currently being held without bond at the Virginia Beach Correctional Center.
This case is still under investigation by VBPD Traffic Safety Unit.
