CLEARLAKE – A parolee was arrested Friday afternoon after police say he ran another man down with his vehicle.

Arturo Lopez, 52, was arrested on charges of attempted murder, giving false identification to an officer and a parole violation, according to Sgt. Tim Hobbs of the Clearlake Police Department.

At 1:45 p.m. Friday police and Lake County Fire Protection District medical personnel were dispatched to Safeway in Clearlake for a reported hit-and-run with an injured pedestrian, Hobbs said.

When they arrived, police and paramedics found an unconscious male in his 50s lying on Burns Valley Road, just outside of the Safeway parking lot entrance. Hobbs said REACH air ambulance was called to transport the man to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, where he was treated for life-threatening head injuries.

Hobbs said police learned during their investigation that Lopez, a Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation parolee, was the alleged driver in the incident.

Lopez had allegedly been in an altercation with the victim before the incident. Hobbs said witnesses and evidence at the scene led to the conclusion that Lopez had intentionally hit the other man with his vehicle.

Shortly after processing the scene, Clearlake Police officers located Lopez's vehicle, which Hobbs said was towed and stored for evidence.

A short time later, just after 4 p.m., police found Lopez and arrested him, Hobbs said.

Following Lopez's arrest, he was taken to St. Helena Hospital Clearlake for medical clearance, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph.

While Lopez was being examined it was discovered that he had pre-existing medical issues that required emergency treatment, Joseph said. Lopez subsequently was released from custody and transported to another hospital in Napa County.

Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251.

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