San Rafael driver charged in collision with cyclist

[Commander Bunny]

http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_16158516


A San Rafael bicyclist injured in a hit-and-run crash remained in intensive care Thursday while prosecutors filed charges against the suspected driver.
The cyclist, William Paul Lundblad, was in critical but stable condition at Marin General Hospital, a spokeswoman said. Lundblad, 53, was struck Wednesday afternoon while riding his bike into a crosswalk on Grand Avenue near Francisco Boulevard East, police said.

The driver kept going - carrying Lundblad on her hood until he fell into the street - but a witness followed the suspect to her residence on Medway Road in the Canal area, police said. The suspect, 31-year-old Vilma Leticia Santo Diaz, was arrested when police arrived.

Santo Diaz was charged Thursday with felony hit-and-run and driving without a license, said Deputy District Attorney Linda Witong. Santo Diaz could face up to three years in prison if convicted.

A plea hearing was pending.

San Rafael police spokeswoman Margo Rohrbacher said there was no obvious evidence that Santo Diaz was intoxicated, but police are still waiting for the results of blood tests.

"At this point, (intoxication) does not appear to be a factor, but we cannot eliminate that until the tests are returned," Rohrbacher said.

Police do not plan to cite Lundblad for a crosswalk violation. Rohrbacher said the law requires any vehicles, including bicycles, entering a crosswalk to yield the right-of-way to cross-traffic.

"If (the driver) had stopped, her only problem would have been that she's unlicensed," Rohrbacher said. "Because she did not stop, she has been charged with a felony."
Santo Diaz was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail. She was also being detained on a no-bail federal immigration hold pending a review of her citizenship status, and she could be deported when the case is concluded.

"if she would have stopped"...The SRPD would have given an unlicensed illegal alien a ticket, and let Her drive home...crikey.
Another sanctuary city.
The comments on this story, and the first story released yesterday are trying to put the blame on the Cyclist....very typical of Marin County.