Police searching for driver involved in hit-and-run; local DJ critically injured

Police tell ABC-7 they are searching for the driver in a hit-and-run that a local DJ critically injured.

The hit-and-run, captured on surveillance footage, happened in Central El Paso early Sunday morning. It shows a man who appears to be loading several items into his vehicle, parked in what appears to be an alley. The driver of a four-door pickup then drives into the alley, pinning the man against the parked vehicle.

Family and friends have identified the man struck by the truck as Christian Ortiz, also known as DJ Swift.

Rico Velez, a friend and the owner of the bar Swift was performing at that night, told ABC-7 Ortiz was a great guy. “He had been a DJ for approximately six months. He’s our resident DJ. He’s done an amazing job, he’s a great entertainer, he’s a people person, he goes above and beyond, he’s friendly with everybody. He enjoys what he does,” Velez said, “He did not deserve this. He had a baby on the way, he’s an army veteran. He’s an all around great person that doesn’t deserve this.”

Friends told ABC-7 Ortiz is still in the hospital suffering from a collapsed lung, lacerated liver, dislocated vertebrates, multiple abrasions and other injuries.

Velez spent a night with him in the Intensive Care Unit. “He was in and out of consciousness. He’s holding down. He’s very hopeful, grateful to be alive, but he has a long journey ahead of him,” Velez said.

The hit-and-run happened shortly after 2 A.M., but authorities did not report the incident until around 4:30 A.M. on the 800 block of Piedras, near police headquarters. Special Traffic Investigators responded to the scene.

If you have any information about the person driving the pick up truck seen in the surveillance video, call police.

Ortiz’s family has also set up a GoFundMe account for Ortiz. The man and his wife are expecting a baby any day now and friends say Ortiz is the main source of income for the family.