Cathedral City, CA-Danica Denton, 18, was a beautiful young woman, had lots of friends, and was described as a very happy person. She had a 1-year old son and was eight months pregnant with another boy she planned on giving birth to the following week. Danica was just starting her life. Unfortunately, on Wednesday, February 11, 2009, her life and the life of her unborn child both came to an end.

Around 9:30 that evening, Danica and her boyfriend had just finished watching a movie at the local theater. She was crossing the street on westbound East Palm Canyon Drive at Van Fleet Avenue to catch a bus when a car sped through a red light and struck her. Her body was hurled seven feet into the air. The driver of the vehicle, who made no attempt to stop, fled the scene, and left Danica lying in the street to die.

Gina Garcia

A witness at the scene called 911. After an ambulance arrived, Danica was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, where, despite tremendous efforts, Danica and her unborn son were pronounced dead at 10:30 p.m. I cannot imagine the extreme loss and pain her family must be feeling. Her little boy lost his mother and soon to be new baby brother in an instant because of this driver’s ignorance and disregard for others in the world.

Thankfully, several witnesses at the crime scene were able to describe the vehicle that hit Danica. Police began looking for the owner of a silver Lexus 300. Their search led them to a 34-year old woman named Gina Garcia of Palm Springs. Garcia was arrested at 11 a.m. on Thursday, February 12, 2009, on suspicion of a felony hit-and-run. She was taken into custody, arraigned, and released on $25,000 bond. Her vehicle, a silver Lexus 300, had damage to its front passenger side and was impounded as evidence.

Police have stated that the street lights were in proper working order that evening and pedestrians are visible at that time of night. Investigators are trying to determine if Garcia had been drinking, but it will be difficult with the passage of time between the incident and when the arrest was made. I’m guessing she was definitely under the influence. She ran a red light, hit a pedestrian, and didn’t even have the decency to stop and see if the girl was alright. How can anyone be so callous?

It’s been stated that Garcia’s husband may be an investigator for the Riverside County DA, as reports have been made that Garcia and Danica both have family ties within the office, so the case will more than likely be turned over to the California attorney general for prosecution.

RIP Danica Denton and baby boy. I pray neither of you felt any pain.

Danica Denton

Silvahalo68 has this one in the forums. Thanks Silva.

UPDATE JULY 1st, 2009

We were contacted by a friend or family member and given an update to this case. I’ll let you see the video yourself, but needless to say, looks as if some people do indeed get preferential treatment. Not that this is a big shock to people, but had Gina Garcia been a you or me, who on their second DUI killed a pregnant white (yeah, I said it) girl, we would have been in prison serving a max sentence for two deaths faster than FlamingFox could have gotten this article written up.

To Danica’s family, my condolences and I hate to see you guys get slapped across the face like that.

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