Modesto man, 74, killed on Highway 99 shoulder in DUI hit-and-run

A Modesto man who pulled off northbound Highway 99 in Manteca late Sunday to help a family member who’d run out of gas was struck and killed by a drunk driver who veered off the road, the California Highway Patrol reported.

The Modestan, identified by the CHP only as 74 years old, parked a 2003 Dodge Caravan on the right-hand shoulder of the Lathrop Road offramp. He was getting out the driver’s side door when the driver of a 2009 Ford F-150 veered onto the shoulder and struck him. The crash occurred about 11 p.m.

The Ford driver, identified as Frank Scotty Richardson, 41, of Manteca, fled the scene, the CHP reported. He was found a short time later at his home, along with the pickup. Richardson was arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence, felony hit-and-run and vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

The Modesto man, whose name was withheld pending notification of family, died at the scene. His 60-year-old female passenger, also of Modesto, was uninjured, the CHP said.

The investigation is ongoing, and anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to contact the Stockton CHP office at 209-938-4800.

This story was originally published June 26, 2017 at 1:37 PM with the headline "Modesto man, 74, killed on Highway 99 shoulder in DUI hit-and-run."