Yahoo Finance 7-Year-Old California Child Killed in Hit-and-Run by Stolen Car Involved in Robbery
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A 7-year-old child in California is dead after being struck by a stolen car in a hit-and-run incident, according to police.
The fatal incident occurred on Monday afternoon when the child, whose identity has not been released, was riding on a bicycle at the intersection of North Park Victoria Drive and Kennedy Drive in Milpitas, according to the Milpitas Police Department.
A local police officer had spotted a white Lexus SUV that was reported stolen and involved in armed robbery in San Jose traveling on East Calaveras Boulevard.
Another officer in the area also noticed the car, though neither pursued the vehicle or attempted a traffic stop, police said in a press release.
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Police believe the driver of the SUV spotted the officers and quickly made a right turn at North Park Victoria Drive.
Soon after, officers received a call that the same vehicle had struck a child riding a bicycle at an intersection and continued driving northbound, according to authorities.
The SUV driver, a 36-year-old woman from San Jose, ditched the car a mile north from the crash site and ran away, but was soon caught and arrested by police.
Another passenger in the SUV — described by police as a man with blond hair and wearing glasses and a hat — remains at large after getting into the driver's seat and speeding off, according to the outlet.
Officers pursued the SUV onto Interstate 680 and into the city of Fremont, where they lost sight of the vehicle.
The child died of her injuries shortly after she was transported to a local hospital.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the young child's family and our community," the Milpitas Police Department said in a statement. "We are all deeply impacted by the senseless and tragic loss of life."
The female driver — identified as Kristalinna Pacheco — has been booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for homicide, hit and run causing injury/death and possession of a stolen vehicle, according to police.
The SUV was found unoccupied in the city of Newark on Tuesday. It was has been towed to the Milpitas Police Department for evidence processing.
An investigation is ongoing.
