A La Puente woman was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving in California and hit-and-run after she allegedly collided with a Covina police cruiser. According to a news report in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, 29-year-old Sandra Faviola Guerra was arrested a mile away from where the crash occurred. Guerra and her female passenger did not suffer significant injuries.
California Highway Patrol officials say the Covina police car was going south on Barranca Avenue approaching Cypress Street with a green light when Guerra was making a right turn on a red light from Cypress to Barranca. The police vehicle was disabled as a result of the crash and the officer could not pursue Guerra. But other officers did and apprehended her a few blocks away. CHP officials are also looking into whether the officer was speeding. The length of skid marks is an indicator of the speed of a vehicle involved in a collision. This is the type of evidence analysis our law firm has extensive experience in evaluating.
In California, it is a crime to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher. Leaving the scene of an accident is a violation of Section 20001 of the California Vehicle Code which states: “The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to any person, other than himself or herself, or in the death of any person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident.”
The consequences of California DUI penalties and a hit-and-run conviction could involve jail time, hefty fines, probation and loss/revocation of your driving privilege. If you have been arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and/or hit-and-run, it is critical that you contact an experienced Los Angeles DUI defense lawyer right away. If you need help or information about your DUI case, please call Sitkoff & Hanrahan at 866-299-4111 for a free consultation.