Couple Arrested In Hit-And-Run Crash That Killed Father Of 5 In Santa Ana
SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — A couple has been arrested in connection with a St. Patrick's Day hit-and-run crash that killed a motorcyclist in Santa Ana.
Luis Eduardo Distancia, 46, surrendered to police Saturday, just over a week after his white 2006 Ford Econoline van was involved in the crash that killed Eduardo Estrada Luevana of Santa Ana. He faces charges of felony hit-and-run causing great bodily injury/death.
Luevana, 36, and a father of five children, was riding a motorcycle that collided with the van on March 17 at 4:47 p.m. at Standard Avenue and Walnut Street. He died later of the injuries he sustained the collision.
Distancia's wife, 47-year-old Alma Rosa Nava, was also arrested and booked on suspicion of being an accessory after the fact, police said.
According to police, the van was northbound on Standard when the driver turned west on Walnut in front of Luevana, whose motorcycle crashed into the front right fender of the vehicle.
A witness followed the van and provided police with a license plate number, Bertagna said. Distancia is the registered owner of the vehicle.
Distancia has a prior criminal record for driving on a suspended license and drunken driving, according to court records. He pleaded guilty to driving while on a suspended or revoked license due to a prior DUI conviction on Sept. 14, 2009, and was sentenced to 45 days in jail and placed on three years of probation, as well as compelled to use an "ignition interlock device" that would prevent him from driving under the influence, according to court records.
On Aug. 5, 2008, Distancia pleaded guilty to driving on a suspended or revoked license due to a DUI and driving at an unsafe speed for conditions and was sentenced to 10 days in jail.
Distancia pleaded guilty to driving drunk on Nov. 29, 2005, and was sentenced to 60 days in jail and ordered to do 56 hours of community service instead of paying a fine. He was also placed in an 18-month multiple offender alcohol program, according to court records, which show him violating probation.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)