Mission Viejo man charged in fatal Laguna Hills hit-and-run

A 34-year-old Mission Viejo man suspected in a deadly hit-and-run crash in Laguna Hills has been charged and pleaded not guilty Tuesday, July 21.

Andrew Austin Arbuckle was held on $200,000 bail and arraigned in a courtroom in Santa Ana on a felony charge of hit-and-run resulting in death, Orange County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Jaimee Blashaw said. He is also accused of a misdemeanor count of driving with a license that was suspended or revoked for a DUI, according to court records.

Arbuckle was arrested about 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Mission Viejo in connection with a collision that resulted in the death of a 22-year-old man, Blashaw said. He was suspected of striking Fabio R. Castro with a pickup truck about 9:15 p.m. on Thursday, July 16, in the parking lot of the Hills Hotel at 25205 La Paz Road, then fleeing the scene. Orange County Fire Authority personnel attempted to treat the victim’s injuries and transported him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Arbuckle was ordered to return to court July 29 for a pretrial hearing at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach.