California nurse learns patient in fatal hit-and-run is her brother: 'Everything just collapsed'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}PANORAMA CITY, CA - JANUARY 28: Attorney Raymond Boucher (L) and emergency room doctors hold a press conference at Mission Community Hospital on a class action lawsuit against the state of California by a coalition of emergency room physicians claiming that without additional funding, the entire emergency healthcare system is on the verge of collapse on January 28, 2009 in Panorama City, California. According to the coalition, the cost of providing emergency room treatment has nearly doubled over the past decade and patient load increased by more than 28 percent while Medi-Cal reimbursements have remained largely unchanged. During that time, 85 California hospitals in California have closed and an additional 55 facilities have shut down their emergency rooms. California now reportedly ranks worst in the nation for access emergency care and last in emergency rooms per capita. California has seven emergency rooms per million people while the national average is 20 emergency rooms per million people. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images) (2009 Getty Images)
A Southern California nurse said she was working in the emergency room when she learned a patient dying from a hit-and-run crash was her brother.
Jennifer Medina told KNBC-TV she was working a busy shift at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo on Friday night when an unresponsive man was brought in.
Medina said as doctors worked frantically to save the 23-year-old man, a fellow nurse looked for his identification. Medina said when her colleague found the man's wallet, she immediate recognized it.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}When she opened the wallet, she saw her brother's ID.
"Everything just collapsed. I just couldn't hold it together," Medina said as she burst into tears.
After the medical staff cleaned up her brother, Medina said she got the chance to say goodbye to him.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Orange County Sheriff's Department said Cesar Andres Medina was crossing a street intersection in San Juan Capistrano on a skateboard when the driver of a black pickup truck hit him.
A suspect — identified as 19-year-old Andrew Christopher Michaels — was arrested in connection with the crash late Saturday.
Investigators found a Dodge Ram truck that was believed to have been involved in the crash at Michaels' home in Laguna Niguel, the sheriff's department said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Michaels was arrested after being questioned by investigators.