The Manteca Police Department is currently searching for the driver that they believe may be responsible for a felony hit and run on Northgate Drive that left a pedestrian dead on Saturday night near the Tidewater Bikeway.

According to the department, the matter is still under investigation but police believe that the 32-year-old male that was discovered by officers who responded to the call – police currently know the name of the deceased but are not releasing it at this time – was a pedestrian and that the vehicle that struck him fled the scene.

It was the fourth traffic fatality so far this year in Manteca.

Investigators have canvassed the area searching for potential surveillance footage that could give officers a lead on the vehicle, and the family of the deceased has been interviewed.

Police have said that the investigation is still “in its infancy” but officers are trying to chase down any potential lead to help piece together what exactly happened at the intersection of Northgate Drive and the Tidewater Bikeway and who may have been driving the vehicle that struck and killed the unidentified man.

Police are not currently releasing any information about any possible vehicles that they believe could have been in the area or involved with the collision at this time.

The incident occurred just one week after the Manteca Police Department announced that it would be receiving $111,000 in a grant intended to deter unsafe driving practices and increase safety on roadways. The grant – which comes from the California Office of Traffic Safety – will fund numerous undertakings between now and September of next year including sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols, targeted enforcement operations, collaborative enforcement efforts with neighboring agencies, and officer training.

To contact Bulletin reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.