Arrest made in holiday hit-and-run

Deepa Bharath

A 21-year-old Santa Ana woman surrendered to police on Monday in

connection with a Memorial Day hit-and-run accident that has left a

24-year-old man in critical condition, officials said.

Police arrested Dulce Itzamara Herrera after someone tipped them

off on Friday with a telephone call saying that they knew who the

driver of the suspect vehicle was, said Newport Beach Police Sgt.

Steve Shulman.

Detectives then located the vehicle and obtained a warrant for the

driver, who eventually turned herself in Monday afternoon, he said.

The victim, Paul Awad of Newport Beach, was trying to cross the

street at the intersection of MacArthur Boulevard and Bison Avenue

the night of May 31, when he was hit, officials said. The impact of

the crash threw him about 120 feet and left him with severe head, leg

and abdominal injuries, police said.

Awad is still in the intensive care unit at Western Medical Center

in Santa Ana, Shulman said.

“The coverage of this issue by the news media played a significant

role in getting a citizen to come forward and report the information

to the police,” he said. “The police department and the family are

grateful for the coverage.”

Shulman said the black Nissan Altima that Herrera was allegedly

driving was registered under the name of a family member.

“Her family confirmed to us that she was driving the car last and

that the car was damaged,” he said.

Investigators found the car with a broken windshield and blood on

the inside, Shulman said.

Herrera has been charged with felony hit-and-run. She made a

$50,000 bail and is scheduled to appear at Harbor Justice Center on

July 20.

On Wednesday, Awad’s family held a news conference at the Newport

Beach Police Department, seeking the public’s help in finding the

driver. Many of Awad’s friends, including those who went with him to

Corona del Mar High School, attended the conference in a show of

support for the family.

Herrera was a housekeeper at the Four Seasons Hotel on Newport

Center Drive, police reports show.

For Awad’s family and friends, Monday’s arrest is bittersweet,

said Cara Mungo, who spoke on behalf of the family. Awad was still in

critical condition, and his brain activity has not improved at all,

she said.

“But our hearts go out to the girl,” Mungo said. “She’s a very

young person, who just made a panicked, bad decision. This is a

tragedy for both families, and we hope that things work out for

everyone.”

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at [email protected].