On 3-25-12 at 21:48 hours, Anchorage Police Department Patrol officers responded to the report of a vehicle-pedestrian accident next to the west end of the Sears Mall on Denali Street.

Upon arrival, they found 51 year old Victor Andrews, who witnesses said had been struck by a vehicle. Officers administered CPR to the unconscious man but medics declared him deceased when they arrived.

Witnesses told police that Hicham Benbella was northbound on Denali Street in his Chevrolet Malibu when he saw Andrews lying in the roadway in the far right lane next to the bus stop. Benbella was able to swerve at the last instant to miss striking Andrews with his car. The vehicle following Benbella, a Chevrolet Trailblazer struck Andrews and dragged him a short distance. The Trailblazer was driven by 21 year old Kalapu Manogiamanu. Manogiamanu told police that when Benbella’s vehicle swerved ahead of him, he saw what he thought was a bag in the street and he struck it with his vehicle. It was only after the collision that he realized that the object was not a bag.

This case is being investigated by APD’s Traffic Unit investigators.

Further updates will be forth coming as more information is released by detectives.

Note: A criminal charge is merely an accusation of criminal wrongdoing. All persons charged with crimes are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty by a court of law.

Source: Anchorage Police Department