Woman, 76, sentenced in deadly North Park hit-and-run
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A 76-year-old woman charged in a deadly hit-and-run in North Park learned her fate Monday.
It comes months after a deadly collision on a North Park street that residents had been pleading with the City to put up a stop sign. The crash happened on the evening of Nov. 21, when 42-year-old Stephen Debow was crossing the street at the intersection of Utah and Polk Avenue when he was hit and killed by Donna Jacobs.
“Stephen was a great pillar to our community, a great human being, and he will be forever lost for us. And this lady has no remorse or care,” said friend of the victim, Michael Berardi.
Police say Jacobs was allegedly driving 30 miles per hour when she hit Debow in an unmarked crosswalk and continued to drive for 65 feet with him on the roof of her car. Debow suffered multiple injuries and died at the hospital six days later.
Jacobs was arrested 10 days after the crash and initially pleaded not guilty. She later changed her plea to guilty of to hit-and-run causing death and vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence.
Monday in court Jacobs claimed initially she did not know she hit a person, stating she is a domestic violence survivor and thought she was being attacked when her windshield quote “exploded.” The judge stating he did not find her statements in court to be credible.
“I wish her nothing but ill will and I wish her that she spends the rest of her time in pain,” said Michael Berardi.
She was facing up to four years in prison, but on Monday the judge granted her two years of formal probation. In addition to the two years of probation, the court imposed 365 days of local custody that she is authorized to serve through CPAC – an electronic monitoring system – that would allow her to stay at home.
She needs to go through an application process to be formally accepted to the CPAC program.
“He felt that custodial sanction was appropriate given the defendants conduct on the night but more importantly her true failure to take responsibility for what she did and the loss of life,” said deputy district attorney, Roza Egiazarian.
If Jacobs violates that probation she could go to prison for up to two years and part of the terms are that she is not to operate a motor vehicle.
As for the intersection where the Debow lost his life, the City put a four-way stop there in April.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
#Woman #sentenced #deadly #North #Park #hitandrun