Slain Hit-Run Witness's Family Mourns Yon Chreng

The search continued today for the hit-run driver who intentionally ran over a witness and dragged him under his truck in Long Beach this past weekend, as the victim's family mourned the man they called Eley.

A Cambodian-American who lived with his mother and siblings in the 1100 block of Stanley near Junipero (see map below), Yon Chreng, 27, died at the scene of the 12:50 a.m. Saturday crash, the Long Beach Police Department said.

Detectives are hoping the public can help locate the runaway driver of a green Dodge pick-up truck the hit-run driver abandoned.

"We're letting the detectives and police do their investigation and yes, it was his girlfriend's car that was hit," said Phalika N. Chhuon, cousin of Chreng, fondly called Eley by his family.

"We miss him so much," she said.

"I am his cousin, I just moved from San Diego to the Belmont Shore area," Chhuon wrote in an e-mail. "Yon and I are the same age ... only a few months apart."

According to the family's understanding of the story, Chhuon said, Yon's "girlfriend's car was parked in front of his house
at the time it all took place." She hopes that "the more infomation we
get out there, the better chances of someone speaking up."

Original story details:

Long Beach man who witnessed a truck driver hit a parked car tried to flag down the driver to stop, and the hit-run driver instead ran over the Good Samaritan and dragged him to his death, police said Saturday.

Any witnesses to the heinous incident are asked to please contact Long Beach Police Department detectives at the contacts at the end of this story.

The witness, Yon Chreng, 27, of Long Beach, died at the scene, said Long Beach police spokeswoman Nancy Pratt. The driver, who has not been named, allegedly struck three more parked cars before bolting from a green Dodge pick-up truck abandoned at the scene. The location was the 1100 block of Stanley Avenue.

The full release by police:

On Saturday, March 24, 2012 at approximately 12:50 a.m., Long Beach Police responded to the 1100 block of Stanley Avenue in regards to a call that initially began as a hit and run incident, which police are now investigating as a murder.

Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives determined that a male adult driving a green Dodge pick-up truck was travelling northbound in the 1100 block of Stanley Avenue when he struck a parked vehicle.  A witness to the collision, identified as 27-year-old Yon Chreng of Long Beach, attempted to wave down the driver to keep him from fleeing.  At that time, detectives believe the driver aimed his vehicle at Victim Chreng, running him down and dragging him a short distance before striking three additional parked vehicles. The suspect then fled on foot, leaving the vehicle behind at the scene.

Long Beach Fire Department paramedics responded and determined the victim deceased at the scene.  Long Beach Police Accident Investigation detectives responded to the scene, and were later joined by Homicide detectives as the investigation progressed and additional details were learned. 

Information relating to the driver is not being released at this time and the investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone who may have any information regarding this incident is asked to contact Long Beach Police Homicide Detectives Hugo Cortes and David Rios at (562) 570-7244.  Anonymous tips may be submitted via text or web by visiting www.tipsoft.com.