Pomana Woman Arrested in Fatal Hit and Run

According to news reports, a Pomona woman was arrested on Sunday morning after she ran down a man on an Ontario street and then fled the scene.

Tanya Quintero, 20 years old, was arrested on suspicion of hit-and-run and vehicular manslaughter in the death of 24-year-old Darryl Sevesind. She was later booked at the West Valley Detention Center.

Witnesses identified hit and run driver

Officers responding to the scene at about 1:35 a.m. on Sunday morning pieced together a bizarre lover’s quarrel leading to the death of Sevesind, a stranger to all of the car’s occupants. Witnesses on South Laurel Avenue told police that a woman driving a gray Honda Civic with two passengers was repeatedly driving past the house of an ex-boyfriend of one of the car’s passengers. The Civic blared music while the passengers threw trash into the yard.

Sevesind, a resident of Laurel Avenue, stepped into the street to confront the driver. Rather than stop, the car made a U-turn and struck him. Sevesind did not survive the impact and was declared dead at the scene. Police found the empty Civic less than half a mile away; the driver and passengers were found inside a nearby house. Quintero was identified as the driver and police arrested her.

CA hit and run drivers may be held liable

Quintero, arrested shortly after the incident, has already been booked on criminal charges for both the alleged vehicular homicide and the hit-and-run. Under the California Vehicle Code, a hit and run is a felony when someone other than the driver is injured or killed. This is on top of any manslaughter charges that the driver may face. California deems negligent driving that results in the unlawful killing of another person to be vehicular manslaughter.

The criminal charges a driver faces are distinct from the potential civil liability. Even where there is a criminal proceeding, the law recognizes an injury victim’s right to seek compensation from an at-fault party.

Winning a hit and run lawsuit

In a case like the Sevesind hit and run death, the victim’s family may seek damages based on the allegedly intentional or negligent behavior that led to the vehicular manslaughter charge.

To prove negligence, an injured party must establish each of several required elements.

Generally, these elements include establishing that:

• The driver owed a duty to act or not act in a certain way;
• The driver breached that duty; and
• The breach was a proximate cause of the injury.

If the plaintiff establishes liability for the accident and also proves that the accident was a hit and run, the driver may face punitive damages for fleeing the scene.

An injury victim and his or her family often experience many financial hardships as a result of an auto accident. Litigation through a skilled personal injury lawyer is often an effective means to recoup compensation for financial damages.

Compensation can include payment for:

• Medical Expenses
• Pain and Suffering
• Loss of Companionship
• Lost Income
• Funeral Expenses

If you have been the victim of an auto accident or hit and run and would like to discuss your legal options with trusted Los Angeles car accident lawyers, please call 310-641-3335 to schedule a free case review with a personal injury attorney at Ellis Law. Representing victims in Southern California for more than 20 years, our legal team has procured more than $100 million in settlements and verdicts on behalf of clients. Put our experience and dedication to work for you.