CHP: Fugitive In Oxnard Fatal Hit-And-Run Likely Hiding In SoCal, Living Off Hefty Bank Account

VENTURA (CBSLA.com) – Authorities say family and friends could be assisting a 48-year-old fugitive wanted in a hit-and-run that killed a 69-year-old man in Oxnard last month to hide out.

Patrick John McVicker of Ventura is wanted on multiple felony charges in connection with a late-night July 6 crash that killed 69-year-old John Slade of Ojai.

California Highway Patrol Tuesday held a news conference at its Ventura headquarters Tuesday in which it released more photos of McVicker and provided new details on the crash.

CHP investigators believe McVicker is still in the area, and could be living off a sizable bank account.

"We do know that he was telling friends he got beat up, versus being involved in an accident," CHP Commander Terry Roberts told reporters Tuesday. "He had some sort of injuries to begin with. We found out that he does have a substantial amount of money in a bank account, so he probably can sustain himself for quite a while."

According to CHP, McVicker was traveling north on the 101 Freeway – north of Victoria Avenue – when he lost control of his 2011 Audi S5, which was also carrying a passenger he had just met at a bar. The Audi slammed into a 2013 Toyota Prius being driven by Slade.

The Audi then went through a guardrail and rolled off the side of the freeway. The Prius also struck the guardrail and the center divider wall. Surveillance video from a nearby Coca Cola plant captured footage of the wreck.

Slade was taken to the Ventura County Medical Center with major injuries. He passed away the following morning. A father and husband, Slade was well known in theater circles and was returning home from working on a production at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks when he was killed.

Following the crash, McVicker pulled himself from the wreckage, abandoned his passenger and ran away, CHP said.

He is described as white, 6 feet tall and 225 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He has ties to Ventura, Oxnard and Ojai.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call CHP at 805-662-2640. Crime Stoppers is currently working on putting together a reward for information leading to his arrest.