Local News in Brief : Motorcyclist Pleads Guilty in Hit-Run Case

An apologetic motorcyclist pleaded guilty Tuesday to felony hit-and-run driving for running down a California Highway Patrol officer.

Keith Vitelli, 28, of Topanga Canyon faces up to three years in prison and fines of up to $20,000 under the terms of the plea agreement, said Los Angeles County Deputy Dist. Atty. Ron L. Smalstig.

Smalstig said Vitelli decided to plead guilty after seeing the injured officer in his hospital room Monday. “He said he was sorry to the officer,” Smalstig said. “He kept saying he was sorry.”

Vitelli’s preliminary hearing was to begin in the hospital room but was delayed until Tuesday to allow Vitelli to make his plea formally.

In exchange for the guilty plea in Malibu Municipal Court, a charge of assaulting a police officer with a deadly weapon will be dropped at Vitelli’s June 17 sentencing, Smalstig said.

Vitelli was arrested April 22 for running down CHP Sgt. George Rice, authorities said. Rice, 45, had made a traffic stop about 3:45 p.m. on Malibu Canyon Road just north of the tunnel when he looked into the tunnel and saw a motorcycle illegally passing a truck.

Officials said Rice walked into the roadway and attempted to flag down the motorcyclist but was run down.

Rice is recovering from a compound fracture of the left leg.