Angels pitcher Adenhart killed after he pitched last night

[gassy]

This kid pitched really well last night--RIP.

TMZ has learned Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in a felony hit-and-run car accident in Fullerton, California early this morning -- hours after he pitched in a game last night.


Cops say someone driving a minivan blew through a red light, causing the Mitsubishi that Adenhart and three others were riding in to hit a light pole. Three of the four people in the Mitsubishi were killed in the crash -- Nick, another man and a woman -- while the fourth person remains in the hospital.

Cops say the person driving the van fled the scene -- but was later caught and charged with felony hit-and-run. The suspect is also being treated for injuries in a local hospital.

We're told one of the other men killed in the crash was also affiliated with the Angels organization.

Nick was 22 years old.

FYI -- Nick pitched his ass off last night, striking out 5 guys in 6 scoreless innings. His performance was hailed by sportswriters as a "brilliant effort by a 22-year-old right-hander making his fourth Major League start."

[CJFusco]

YIKES! This is sad news - Nick was touted as being a future star, possibly an ace for the team in 2 or 3 years; I actually almost picked him up for one of my fantasy teams!

Very sad news; my thoughts go out to his family.

[dd74]

Yeah, that story is all over L.A. news radio this morning. Very tragic.

As an aside, I've never in my life seen more hit-n-run accidents in this city than now.

A couple weeks ago, two USC freshmen were hit near campus in a hit n' run. Of the victims, the female victim was instantly killed, but the male victim survived, though he's still in critical condition.

After the collision, the male passenger in the car got out and pulled the male victim off the car's hood and left him for dead in the street.

[TerryH]

Very sad. It shows how precarious our lives really are. But for the grace of God, it could have been any of us. Just 22 and a hugely bright future.... dashed in flash.

There's a Sonic Drive-in burger joint at that intersection where I meet up with friends for lunch about once a month.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by TerryH

Very sad. It shows how precarious our lives really are. But for the grace of God, it could have been any of us. Just 22 and a hugely bright future.... dashed in flash.

There's a Sonic Drive-in burger joint at that intersection where I meet up with friends for lunch about once a month.

24 hours earlier, my 27 year oldson played softball at a park at the same intersection - Orangethorpe Ave. and Lemon St.

We all "know" tomorrow is promised to none of us and yet few; if any of us really know it. This just brings it home in brutal reality.

RIP, young man, RIP.

[speeder]

Death can happen anytime/anywhere to anyone but the particular phenomena of (frequently unlicensed/uninsured/illegal) drivers running red lights and killing people while drunk and then fleeing the scene is really big in this part of the world. And by "this part of the world", I mean approx. from CA. to Fla. but especially from CA. to TX.

Really sad but inevitable that valuable, productive members of society will be slaughtered by these scumbags. And anyone who runs a red light causing death and then tries to flee is a scumbag, period.

[Drdogface]

Damn sad...

My guess for perp....drunk illegal alien. Just happens that way so often...

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by Drdogface

Damn sad...

My guess for perp....drunk illegal alien.

Sorry to disappoint your bias:

"The minivan's driver fled the scene and was later arrested, Brower said. Andrew Thomas Gallo, 22, of Riverside will face charges of manslaughter, felony driving under the influence and hit-and-run, he said."

God speed to those in the crash.

[speeder]

Sometimes people just run because they're drunk, not illegally in the country with no DL or insurance.

The odds of them being illegals is staggering in felony H&R accidents, however, so no offense taken by your "bias", Drdogface.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Do we know for sure this guy's immigration status? I didn't see that mentioned anywhere.

He'll be charged with a lot more than simple hit-and-run by the time this is all over.

The Angels are screwed now. They have NOTHING for pitching anymore. Three of their other starters are on the DL. This is insanely tragic for them.

[Joe Bob]

Originally Posted by dd74

Yeah, that story is all over L.A. news radio this morning. Very tragic.

As an aside, I've never in my life seen more hit-n-run accidents in this city than now.

A couple weeks ago, two USC freshmen were hit near campus in a hit n' run. Of the victims, the female victim was instantly killed, but the male victim survived, though he's still in critical condition.

After the collision, the male passenger in the car got out and pulled the male victim off the car's hood and left him for dead in the street.

The young lady that died was local to me. The passenger pulled the limp body of the second one hit off the hood, the driver a 30 year old woman then drove away. The passenger is assumed to be the driver's wife who is now uner arrest. They are now looking for the husband and the 9 month child which may have also been in the car....

[HardDrive]

Terrible tragedy. So senseless.

You just don't know when your ticket is up.

[Schumi]

Wait... so did the hit-n-run driver in the minivan hit the Mitsubishi and then drive off, in the minivan? Or did the prick abandon the car and take off on foot?

If the minivan was still driveable after hitting another car which then hit a pole hard enough to kill three people... that is one tough minivan.

Horrible tragedy.

[m21sniper]

I've been lucky enough to witness and catch 2 hit and run drivers and hold them for the cops so far.

I hate hit and runs. Such a cowardly act.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Do we know for sure this guy's immigration status? I didn't see that mentioned anywhere.

He'll be charged with a lot more than simple hit-and-run by the time this is all over.

The Angels are screwed now. They have NOTHING for pitching anymore. Three of their other starters are on the DL. This is insanely tragic for them.

My guess is that the name didn't sound hispanic, so apparently it was assumed that he or she wasn't an illegal alien. No bias there
j/k

[georgeinhere]

I was recently in LA to bury my wife's brother. My brother in law was driving to work at 5:00 am and some a-hole kid got on the wrong way on the 10 fwy and hit him head on. Life is short sometimes. RIP.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Just heard on ESPN radio that the driver of the minivan was DUI and had a suspended license for a previous DUI. He's now being charged with the felony hit-and-run, DUI and vehicular manslaughter.

I'm sure more sordid details will come out.

There are an awful lot of scumbags in and around southern CA - more than people might think as they drive around and see lots of shiny newer BMWs and Japanese imports glittering in the sunlight. There is a HUGE underclass of scumbags and drifters in this city - many of them illegal, some not. No reports (yet) that the driver was illegal.

[JavaBrewer]

A few years back on I-78W we came up on a drunk driver who was doing his best to stay on the road. It was just past lunchtime and he was weaving across 2 lanes and the right shoulder. As we were talking to 911 he plowed into a guy on the side of the road who was trying to tie up a loose ladder on his truck. The poor guy was hit so hard his shoes and pants came off and he landed in the center of the highway. He died within minutes in his brothers arms. We followed the drunk to the next exit where he pulled over and tried to pull out his front right fender which was crushed and rubbing the tire. With our directions the cops came and got him within 5 minutes. It was his third DUI offense.