A 25-year-old Fairfield man faces another court hearing early next week following his arrest Thursday on suspicion of running over an unidentified victim “multiple times,” causing the person’s death, then fleeing the scene.
Vakautakava Tangitau remains without bail in Solano County Jail in Fairfield, where he awaits jail arraignment in Solano County Superior Court in Fairfield.
He appeared in Department 1 at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday for a scheduled arraignment hearing, but Judge Jeffrey C. Kauffman, noting Tangitau’s request for a court-appointed attorney, reset the proceeding for 9 a.m. Monday.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Bruce Flynn represented the DA’s Office. Chief Deputy Public Defender Dan Messner represented Tangitau, who entered the courtroom shackled.
A court records search indicated the Solano County DA’s Office filed a criminal complaint on Tuesday.
In a social media account posted Thursday, Fairfield police officials said at about 11:30 a.m. Thursday, a man was walking through the Solano Town Center’s northside parking lot when he “was struck by a person driving a white Dodge pickup truck.”
The driver, later identified as Tangitau, “proceeded to run over the victim multiple times, before fleeing in his vehicle,” according to the post’s wording.
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A witness followed Tangitau while simultaneously reporting the crime to police dispatchers.
Officers responded immediately and stopped Tangitau in the 800 block of East Tabor Avenue, where he was taken into custody without incident.
Tangitau, who is known to officers due to previous mental health calls, was booked into jail later in the day.
The Solano County Coroner on Tuesday said the victim’s identity remained “protected,” and the Fairfield Police Department has yet to return a Reporter request for more information. It was unclear if the victim’s relatives had been notified.
The motive for the crime remains under investigation. No further details were available at press time Tuesday.
Police ask that anyone with information about the killing to contact investigators, telephone (707) 428-7300.
