DANA POINT, CA (November 11, 2025) — A 71-year-old man died Friday after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in Dana Point. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department identified the victim as Barry William Tutt of La Verne.
Accident Details: The Orange County Sheriff’s Department reported that deputies responded around noon Friday to a collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian near Pacific Coast Highway and Dana Point Harbor Drive. When they arrived, they found Tutt suffering from severe injuries.
Emergency responders transported Tutt to a nearby hospital for treatment. Despite medical efforts, he later died from his injuries. According to investigators, the driver of a silver Ford sedan struck Tutt and fled the scene.
With help from witnesses, deputies later located the suspect, 57-year-old Humberto Munoz Gatica of Laguna Niguel. Gatica was arrested and booked into the Orange County Jail for charges related to the hit-and-run and suspicion of driving under the influence.
Investigation: The Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team is handling the case. Investigators received assistance from witnesses who helped authorities locate Gatica and the silver Ford sedan involved in the crash.
The investigation is ongoing to determine the full circumstances of how the collision occurred near Pacific Coast Highway and Dana Point Harbor Drive. Anyone with information is urged to contact the OCSD Traffic Bureau at 949-425-1860. Anonymous tips may be submitted to Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.
Legal Considerations: Hit-and-run crashes involving suspected impaired drivers result in serious criminal charges under California law. Drivers who flee fatal crash scenes while under the influence face felony hit-and-run charges, DUI causing injury or death, and potentially vehicular manslaughter charges. These offenses carry substantial prison sentences and demonstrate a complete disregard for the victim’s life.
When a driver is arrested and identified shortly after a fatal crash, families have a clear path to pursue wrongful death claims. These civil cases seek compensation for medical expenses before death, funeral and burial costs, and the loss of companionship and financial support the victim provided.
Unlike criminal cases, which focus on punishing the defendant, civil wrongful death claims aim to provide financial recovery for the family’s losses. In DUI cases, families may also seek punitive damages designed to punish the driver’s reckless behavior and deter similar conduct by others.
Our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of Barry William Tutt as they mourn this terrible loss.
Source: KTLA