RIVERSIDE: Hit & Run Driver Vs Fire Hydrant

On Wednesday night, December 18, 2019, the City of Riverside Fire Department along with the Riverside Police Department and Riverside Public Utilities responded to a vehicle vs hydrant crash. The crash was reported around 10:15pm in the 3400 block of Van Buren Blvd. just south of the westbound 91 Freeway on ramp. The first arriving engine company reported a white Dodge Challenger, had struck and sheared a hydrant, sending a geyser of water shooting into the air. Upon further investigation, it was determined, the driver of the Challenger had fled the scene, leaving the vehicle behind. The sheared hydrant sent a river of water down the northbound lanes of Van Buren toward Magnolia Avenue. Riverside Public Utilities was able to shut the hydrant down within 30 minutes. A description of the hit and run driver wasn’t immediately available.