Man who allegedly struck and killed motorcyclist in Banning arrested

A man who allegedly struck and killed a motorcyclist in Banning, then ran from the scene, was in custody today on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and felony hit and run.

Gabriel Simeon Beltran, 25, of Beaumont, is accused in the Wednesday evening crash that killed 65-year-old Banning resident Vincent Hernandez.

The crash was reported just after 6 p.m. near the intersection of San Gorgonio Avenue and Wesley Street.

Hernandez was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the county coroner’s office.

Police say Beltran fled the scene on foot, leaving his SUV at the scene of the crash.

Beltran was arrested about two hours after the crash at a home in the 100 block of North 8th Street in Banning, according to jail records.

He is being held at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Beltran currently has a bench warrant out for his arrest on misdemeanor DUI charges stemming from a 2016 incident. He also previously pleaded guilty in 2014 to misdemeanor DUI. A bench warrant was also issued for him in that case for violating the terms of his probation, court records show.

This is the second deadly accident to happen today. A couple of hours after this accident, there was a deadly accident in Thermal. One person is dead, and two others are injured.