Police Make Arrest In Fatal USC Hit-And-Run
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Carmen Bachan, mother of killed USC student Adrianna Bachan, speaks to
reporters after Friday's press conference. (©Anant Goenka)
Police arrested and charged a 30-year-old woman Thursday night for her alleged involvement in the fatal hit-and-run near USC's campus early this week that killed one student and severely injured another.
Los Angeles Police Department Assistant Chief Jim McDonnell told reporters at a news conference Friday that Claudia Cabrera was arrested at her home around 9:30 p.m. after police pursued a strong lead in the case. Cabrera has been driving on a suspended license for unpaid traffic tickets.
Cabrera has been charged with felony gross vehicular manslaughter and is being held at Van Nuys female jail on $1 million bail.
Cabrera is accused of driving the car that ran a red light early Sunday morning, hitting and killing 18-year-old Adrianna Bachan. The car also hit and seriously injured Marcus Garfinkle, 19, as they crossed the street. Garfinkle remains in the hospital in stable condition.
Police are searching for Cabrera's husband, Josue Luna, 31, who they believe was in the car during the hit-and-run. McDonnell said Cabrera and Luna's 7-month-old son might also have been in the car. Luna and the infant are both still missing.
Police believe Luna was the one who pulled Garfinkle off the windshield of the car before driving away from the intersection of Jefferson and Hoover. "As callous as it sounds, we believe [Luna] was holding the windshield in place by hand," McDonnell said.
He identified the car as a green 2000 Infinity four-door sedan with California license plate 4DUG665.
He told reporters the combined public-private reward of $235,000 helped bring in the tip that led police to Cabrera's home. But he would not say whether or not any of the reward money will be given out.
McDonnell and city councilmembers Jan Perry and Tom LaBonge all pleaded for the public to remain vigilant and to report any information that might be helpful to finding Luna and the missing car.
"If you have a heart, make the phone call [to police]," said Carmen Bachan, Adrianna's mother, who spoke to reporters after the news conference. "If you don't have a heart and want the money, make the phone call."
Bachan, who tried to keep from breaking down and crying, said, "I don't want this to go away. These people have to serve time."
She said she could not believe a woman who gave birth seven months ago could have killed another person. Bachan also said she was angry about the coincidence that Cabrera, a woman of Cuban descent, killed her daughter, also of Cuban background.
John Welsh, a spokesman for the Bachan family, said father James Bachan was in seclusion in Los Angeles. Welsh told reporters he was too distraught to appear before the media, but said that James Bachan was thankful to the press for "keeping the story alive."
Marcus Garfinkle's mother, Barbara Vreeland, spoke briefly, calling the hit-and-run a "heinous crime." She said she has been near her son's hospital bed since the accident Sunday morning. Vreeland said her son was "horrified someone would do what they did. It was unfathomable to him."
McDonnell thanked the community for helping to solve the crime. "Working together," he said, "we can solve complicated cases quickly and provide some relief to the family, however small."
McDonnell said Cabrera's case is likely to be presented to the Los Angeles district attorney on Monday. He said anyone with information about the case should call LAPD Detective Jimmy Render at 323-290-6063.
For updated coverage visit ATVN.
fuck u all i bet u all didnt knoew that the two teens had alchool in their sytems and also contain some sort of drug so i say it their fault for being intoxicated and druged up so next tim,e u ppl start to critize u should take a secongd look at the facts and their five kids are all born here and should not be dep[orted cuz of the fault or their parents
While Garfinkle lies in a hospital bed full of throbbing pain from bilateral fractured femurs, and Miss Bachan is laid 6 feet under in her rose colored coffin, the two cowards who mowed them over live and give lame excuses for their murderous rampage. The fat dude who tossed Garfinkle off his car's hood licks his chops on TV, saying "Oh, the Fire Station was only 75 feet away." For that, he should be hung! Society can ill afford people so callous about causing the death of others. I say, hang those loosers who killed and maimed. Those 5 kids of theirs should be deported to Mexico and never be allowed to return to our land. The mix of that DNA is too potent and dangerous and will only result in moronic offspring.
What's happening why do we NOT see a photo of the suspects? What a hideous crime, i am stunned....
Regrettably this kind of crime will just keep happening as long as the democrat vote keeps flowing strong (Obama in America, Villaragosa in LA) and illegal immigration is NOT enforced. With a good conservative vote we would have borders and everify 10 years ago so the Cabrera-Luna would not even be present in the US at this time, endangering our people
My heart for the two families
What a sad and horrible tragedy.
Perhaps it would not have made a difference in this case, but it is not enough to look both ways before crossing a street or intersection. The safest way is never to begin to cross, even if you have the right of way, if any oncoming vehicle would have to slow down for you to get across safely. This applies to pedestrians as well as drivers.
aaaaaayyy. what a terrible thing to have happened. this hurts my heart.