Man arraigned in hit-and-run

A Chico man was arraigned in Butte County Superior Court July 16 on charges that he drove his car across a lawn to hit a rival gang member and then dumped the car into the Sacramento River. According to the District Attorney’s Office, 20-year-old Jose Manuel Michel was driving near the intersection of Sequoyah, Iroquois and West Lindo avenues May 23 and allegedly struck a pedestrian, a mailbox and a parked car before sideswiping another car back on the street.

The victim suffered severe leg injuries and the car lost a license plate, which led to Michel’s July 12 arrest. He told Chico police officers the car was in the river. The press release asks that “anyone who may have noticed a maroon Mercury Cougar under the waters of the river to contact Chico police.” Michel was due in court July 18, after press time, to enter a plea.