Thursday, February 13th, saw Patricia O’Donnell, 48, lose her life to a fatal hit-and-run accident at Playa Del Rey, California. The accident occurred at about 1:15 a.m. at the intersection of Pershing Drive and Manchester Avenue.

O’Donnell was riding a skateboard when a black Audi A5 crashed into her. The driver, who later got identified as 45-year-old Patrick Finkelstein, drove away from the scene of the accident without stopping to help.

The deceased passed away before emergency services could arrive, and the driver later got apprehended by officers of the Los Angeles Police Department. The police suspect that Finkelstein was driving under the influence.

He got charged with vehicular manslaughter while driving under the influence. In California, a DUI hit-and-run is a serious offense, but mainly a misdemeanor, unless there’s an injury or death, and it becomes a felony.

Statistics show that 11% of all crashes involve a hit-and-run driver. California Vehicle Code expects drivers to stop after hitting a person, and there’s an injury, death, damage to property, or another vehicle.

CVC provides that the offender of a misdemeanor hit-and-run resulting in death gets a jail sentence not exceeding one year, and not less than 90 days. If it’s a felony, the person receives four years prison sentence and a $10 000 fine.

Also, the California DMV will add two points to the offender’s driving record, and where a DUI is involved, he or she’s driver’s license will get suspended. The victim’s family can also bring a personal injury suit and get compensated for their pain.

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