A woman is accused of hitting a six-year-old boy riding a bike in San Diego’s Pacific Beach neighborhood – then pressing the accelerator and running him over again before fleeing the scene, according to police.
Charges are set to be announced against 32-year-old Tiffany Sanchez in the death of Hudson O’Loughlin after his family launched a petition demanding justice, Law & Crime reported.
The first grader was riding bikes with family members on Saturday and crossing an alley on Pacific Beach Drive near Ingraham Street around 3:45 p.m. when Sanchez struck him with her SUV, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune, citing police.
Investigators say Sanchez slammed into the child, knocking him off his bike, stopped for several seconds, and then accelerated over his body. Sanchez was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence and hit-and-run causing death.
A spokesperson for the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to Law&Crime that Sanchez had been released from jail, that charges have been formally filed, and that she is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday.
Witness David Morrow, who was driving behind Sanchez, saw the horrific tragedy unfold before his eyes.
“The lady in front of me cut right into the alley and didn’t see the kid, obviously, and ran over the kid,” Morrow told KFMB. He said Sanchez then drove away without checking on Hudson.
“Right after she hit the kid, she ran over him twice,” he said. “Like, both wheels ran over the kid. She stopped right in front for about ten seconds. That’s when I pulled behind her and got her license number, and then she took off.”
“She took off and I started to roll forward and the guy – the father – stopped me from going anywhere,” Morrow added. “I was going to chase her down.”
When Sanchez was not charged immediately, Hudson’s family launched a petition titled “Urge the County District Attorney: We Need Justice for Hudson.”
“Hudson O’Loughlin was biking with his family on the sidewalk in Pacific Beach when he was hit and killed by a violent driver, who fled the scene,” the petition states. “The driver was later arrested thanks to the vigilance of bystanders. We need your help to make sure the District Attorney pursues charges that reflect the horrific nature of the crime.”
Hudson’s aunt, Nicole O’Loughlin, echoed those demands in a Facebook post.
“This was not an accident,” O’Loughlin said. “After an initial collision that threw Hudson from his bike, the driver chose to accelerate instead of stopping to help, fatally running him over and then fleeing the scene. The facts show a clear disregard for human life.”
She added, “Hudson, his family, and the San Diego community deserve accountability. I am urging the District Attorney to charge the driver with a felony and pursue justice to the fullest extent of the law. Anything less would be an injustice.”
On Monday, flowers, stuffed animals and handwritten notes lined the crash site at a memorial as community members gathered to mourn Hudson’s death. The San Diego Unified School District announced grief counselors would be available on Tuesday at McKinley Elementary School.
A GoFundMe page created for the family describes Hudson as a “vibrant” and “deeply loved” child who “loved all things science, and his energy was contagious.”
“He filled every room with his spirit and had a passion for BMX, cycling, swimming, skating, and building with Legos,” the post continued. “Whether he was racing on his bike, splashing in the pool, or creating new Lego masterpieces, Hudson’s adventurous and creative nature inspired everyone around him.”
“Hudson was a bright, curious young boy with his whole life ahead of him,” the child’s aunt said on Facebook. “His death has shaken all of us.”
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