On Saturday, June 23, at approximately 10:28 p.m., officers from the Buena Park Police Department responded to the area of Western Ave. and Jackson Ave., regarding a traffic collision involving a pedestrian. On arrival, they discovered an unresponsive 51-year-old male subject, who was later pronounced deceased at the scene by paramedics. The initial investigation indicated that the male subject was crossing Western Avenue on foot with family members in a marked crosswalk when he was struck by a vehicle traveling southbound on Western Avenue. The other family members were not injured, and the deceased male subject’s identity has not yet been released by the Orange County Coroner’s Office.
The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene. Further investigation revealed that the driver was possibly under the influence of cannabis, and he was arrested without incident. The driver was identified as Jason Rarey, 32, from Anaheim. He was charged with felony driving under the influence and murder, based on a prior DUI conviction. Rarey was eventually transported to Orange County Jail, where he was held on $1 million bond. The collision is under investigation, and anyone with information is urged to contact the Buena Park Police Department’s Traffic Bureau at 714-562-3941.
