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Man struck, killed by car in Lancaster Identified [UPDATED]

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UPDATED 8/10/23: Justin Rhodes was not homeless, he was an Army veteran suffering from PTSD after two tour in Iraq, according to his family. View our updated article here.

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LANCASTER – A possibly homeless man killed in Lancaster when he was struck by a car whose female driver tried to drive off was identified as 39-year-old Justin Rhodes, authorities said.

The incident occurred around 4:02 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, on Lancaster Boulevard just west of Valley Central Way, Lt. Mark Pope of the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station told City News Service.

Rhodes died at the scene, according to Pope and the medical examiner’s office. His place of residence was not disclosed and he was believed to be homeless, officials said.

A woman stopped her car to allow what she believed to be homeless people cross the street when a man got up from a bus bench, hit her car, grabbed her door handle and tried to get in, a sheriff’s deputy told a source at the scene. The man was fatally injured when she tried to drive away, according to the deputy.

Sheriff’s officials did not identify the female driver, and an official statement on the circumstances surrounding the collision has not yet been released by the sheriff’s department. No further information was immediately available.

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22 comments for "Man struck, killed by car in Lancaster Identified [UPDATED]"

  1. My condolences to his family and kids, story doesn’t add up, the bus stop locations are more than 50’ from the traffic lights, after the lights too, and if he hit her car THEN tried the handle he’d be on the side of the car. Road rage is a possibility here, hell people barely avoid running you over in a supermarket parking lot, let alone a divided 4+ lane busy street. For those commenting she had the right to run him over who’s to say that’s even the case. People that may have mental, drug or behavioral issues are rarely treated with an open mind. Food for thought, if someone is shooting at your house, even if you are afraid for your life you still can’t just shoot back.

    • Templer we appreciate your comments. He was a grandson of a Santa Barbara sheriff. He has passed on some time ago. He would be mad as hell with how this case was conducted. To this day we have not been contacted by sheriff or police. They dropped the ball in this investigation. For that I blame Lt Mark Pope! They assumed he was homeless. He didn’t know any of those homeless people. I think someone took his belongings I know he had on him. His wallet and IPhone and charging cord. were not on him at the time if the accident.

  2. I knew Justin Rhodes he was a Army Veteran he served 4 years. He had many issues when he came home. But the system failed him like so many of our veterans. Who Suffered from PTSD and Bipolar. But his mental health was never address.

    • I don’t by this account yet. Need more info. Even if he tried to open the door handle or it was a misguided 39yr old prank. It might come be a surprise to the blood thirsty mob here you still can’t just run someone over.

      • Please contact me my phone # is 661-547-2806, it was my sister who was involved in the loss of your loved one and we desperately would like to bring you the peace of mind of knowing exactly what happened and the evidence that you have not been able to see or provided to you, showing on surveillance video exactly what occurred from beginning to the end. It was a horrible tragedy and we’d like to bring peace to you znd yours. And we are so sorry you are having to deal with such a loss, our family is grieving the loss of our mother and a child ourselves so we know the pain you struggle with. Plz contact me

  3. There is much more to this story, then printed! There is something wrong with this account of what happened. If he was on the side of the car trying to get in, via a door handle, how could this have been a fatal accident? I would expect a broken foot or leg. This needs more investigation.

    • I agree. I’m curious who handled this situation? CHP or Were too busy for routine calls Sheriff. I’ve taken round’s before the Sheriff spent no more than 5mins getting our statements then it was “HI HO SILVER AND AWAY” my car is bullet riddled to this day. My daughter was nearly killed. No they treat us different up here let alone people on the fringe.

    • Exactly. I read an earlier story where she turned around and went back to the scene. Where is that statement in these current stories. I would have tried to get away from a person trying to get into MY car! She didn’t drive off!

  4. He was not homeless ! He was a veteran, suffering from PTSD and possibly undiagnosed mental illness. He did 2 tours in Iraq. He was loved and left behind a wife and 2 children! I am sorry, but if he was trying to get in the car by using the door handles, he was on the side of the car. I would expect a foot or leg injury, not a fatal injury. Something is not right with the accident account.

  6. Terribly written news article.
    If someone is trying to get into my car I’d try to drive off too.
    No sympathy for law breakers.

    • Well you didn’t have any facts hope to God nothing ever happens to your family member.

      • My cousin was killed in a helicopter crash. Hope to God nothing ever happens to YOUR family member!

    • That’s her claim, maybe he was just jay walking. Even collegiate sprinters don’t stand a chance on these type of streets up here.

    • Exactly. I reas where she turned around and went back to the scene. Where is that statement in these current stories. She didn’t drive off!

    • Exactly. I read an earlier story where she turned around and went back to the scene. Where is that statement in these current stories. She didn’t drive off!

  7. So he hit her car & tried unsuccessfully to get into her car, she drives off, and he sustained fatal injuries. These news outlets make it seem like she just hit him & drove off. Ignoring the part that he tried to gain entry into her vehicle.

    • She can claim self defense for running him over. The question for a jury will be whether a ‘reasonable person’ would consider ‘he tried to get in her car’ to justify ‘fearing for my life.’ Of course there’s also the practical question as to whether the whole ‘struck her car and grabbed the door handle are verifiable as facts. She has the benefit of having killed the guy, so he won’t be providing conflicting testimony. This illustrates why it is easier to get away with murder than it is to get away with assault.

    • Don’t you know…? You’re supposed to give them a ride now! You have a car and they don’t, so you have “transportation privilege” and it is your obligation to share in your privilege with them!

        • He didn’t know any of those bums. He was not one to make friends with just anybody. He wanted to catch the bus. Maybe he was going to ask her if she would help him. He might have needed money for bus fare. Those bums could have been the ones that took his wallet! and his phone. Now he can’t speak for himself. People are saying some terrible things about him! It’s maddening!