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Person of Interest Named in Fatal Hit-and-Run Motorcycle Crash in Modjeska Canyon

A person of interest has been named in a fatal motorcycle crash involving a stolen vehicle that occurred last week in Modjeska Canyon, Orange County Sheriff’s Department officials said.

Officials investigate a fatal hit-and-run crash along Santiago Canyon Road in Modjeska Canyon on Aug. 1. (Credit: Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Larry Kurtz)

The crash was reported Aug. 1 about 2:50 p.m. along Santiago Canyon Road.

Drew Ketter, 55, of Midway City, was killed in the crash and his wife, Joanne, was severely injured, officials said in a news release.

The driver of the other vehicle involved fled the scene and investigators discovered the vehicle was stolen from a Santa Ana tow yard.

The theft was caught on video surveillance and investigators believe Damon Ellery Block was the person in the video, Lt. Mark Stichter said during a news conference  Tuesday.

He did not say whether or not Block was driving the car when the crash occurred, but that authorities want to speak to him about what happened.

Orange County Sheriff’s officials believe Damon Ellery Block (right) stole a vehicle from a Santa Ana tow yard that was involved in a fatal motorcycle crash on Aug. 1, 2016.

Block, 41, has a $25,000 felony arrest warrant out for an unrelated auto theft case and had recently been released from jail for another incident, officials said.

He is known to frequent Santa Ana, Irvine, Lake Forest and Trabuco Canyon, and authorities believe he has “critical information” about the crash, according to the news release.

He is described as being 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs about 250 pounds, officials said.

Orange County Sheriff’s officials want Block to contact investigators and are also asking anyone who has information about Block’s whereabouts to contact them.

The victims’ daughter, Jeanette Ketter, said Tuesday that her father was “the rock” of her family.

“We always leaned on him, so, we’re a little lost right now,” she said.

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