Nurse learns patient dying from hit-and-run is her brother

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. – 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 immediately recognized it.

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.

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.

Michaels was arrested after being questioned by investigators.