High school teacher killed by hit-and-run driver
On May 29, police in California announced that a woman had been taken into custody for her suspected involvement in a fatal hit-and-run crash. Police believe that the 36-year-old woman was driving a BMW in Santa Ana on April 20 when she ran a red light and struck a male pedestrian. The man died one week after the crash.
The fatal collision took place at around 2 a.m. while the victim, a 26-year-old high school drum line teacher, was crossing through a green light. Investigators say that a witness confirmed that the woman in the BMW was seen walking at the scene of the crash before getting back in her car and driving away.
After the accident, police began searching for the hit-and-run driver. One month later, police officers saw the woman leaving a Santa Ana home in a car that they believe was stolen. A brief chase ensued before police were able to stop the woman. Before she was taken into custody, the woman reportedly dyed her hair pink, used color contacts and got a cheek tattoo in an effort to conceal her identity.
The grieving family members of a pedestrian who has been killed by a reckless driver are often left facing significant financial burdens when the decedent contributed to the household expenses. An attorney representing the family might suggest that a wrongful death lawsuit should be filed against the at-fault motorist. Like a personal injury lawsuit, a wrongful death civil action is grounded upon negligence, which, for example, could be demonstrated by showing that the pedestrian had the right of way and was struck by a driver who was speeding or who ran a red light.
Source: NBC Los Angeles, “Woman Arrested in Hit-and-Run Crash That Killed OC Teacher,” Jessica Perez, May 29, 2016