LOS ANGELES — A Montebello man faces up to 12 years in state prison after being convicted of running over and killing an 84-year-old Montebello woman and her dog, then fleeing the scene of the crash, court officials said.
David Loera, 38, is due to return to Los Angeles Superior Court Sept. 15 for sentencing, court officials said.
A jury found him guilty Monday of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and hit-and-run in connection with an Oct. 5, 2009 crash that killed longtime Montebello resident Normal Lambo and her dog, Barney. Lambo had deep tied to the community, and co-founded Montebello’s “Ashiya Sister Cities,” organization.
“We are pleased with the verdicts and feel that justice was served in this case,” Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said.
Montebello police investigators arrested Loera three days after the crash after finding his truck at a local auto repair shop, officials said.
He struck Lambo as she walked with her dog at Jefferson Avenue and Alfred Court, police said. An unidentified passenger exited the truck and removed Lambo’s walker from the front bumper before getting back into the vehicle, which then sped away.
Lambo had the right of way, as she was crossing in an unmarked intersection, Gibbons said.
“The defendant failed to stop, although he obviously knew that he had been involved in a traffic accident,” Gibbons said. “He fled the scene, hid (his truck) in a garage, and had towed to an auto body shop where it was discovered by Montebello Police Department officers.
Loera had no driver’s license at the time of the crash because of poor vision, Gibbons added.
“According to testimony presented at the trial, he had four months before gone to have his license renewed, and twice failed the vision test,” she said.
Before and during the trial process, Loera was free on $100,000 bail. Following his conviction Monday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephen Marcus ordered Loera immediately taken into custody without bail pending sentencing, officials said.
The passenger who removed Lambo’s walker from the truck before fleeing with Loera has not been found.