Man Held in Hit-and-Run Death of Walker

A Westminster man was arrested Saturday afternoon in connection with the hit-and-run death of a 17-year-old pedestrian, police said.

Oscar Evaristo Paredes Rangel, 22, was taken into custody after police traced the unlicensed driver through an address on the registration of a car abandoned near the scene of the fatal collision.

“He was at home resting comfortably, acting like nothing happened, and there was blood on the door,” Westminster Police Investigator Gary Hooper said.

Rangel’s arrest came just hours after Vincent Joseph Bubnis of Westminster was pronounced dead at 11:40 a.m. at UCI Medical Center in Orange, where he had been on life-support systems.

Police said Bubnis was struck Friday evening while crossing at the intersection of Edwards Street and Westminster Boulevard in Westminster, and that his body was hit with such force that he was thrown through the windshield of the car and onto the driver.

Rangel allegedly stopped the car and Bubnis fell to the ground, police said. At that point, he allegedly abandoned his car behind a gas station at Westminster Boulevard and Goldenwest Street.

Police said the chain of events is believed to have started with a collision about 10:30 p.m. Friday at Springdale Street and Westminster Boulevard. While fleeing the scene, Rangel allegedly hit Bubnis.