Did Irvine man flee after his girlfriend and daughter fell out of his truck?

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 13CF3484: November 5, 2013

MAN TO BE ARRAIGNED TODAY FOR FLEEING THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT LEADING TO DEATH OF HIS GIRLFRIEND AND ENDANGERING 13-MONTH-OLD GIRL

SANTA ANA – A man is scheduled to be arraigned today for fleeing the scene of an accident which led to the death of his girlfriend on Halloween night and endangering a 13-month-old girl. Francisco Javier Montano, 21, Irvine, is charged with one felony count of hit and run with permanent injury or death, one felony count of child abuse and endangerment, and one misdemeanor count of driving without a valid license. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of seven years in state prison and six months in jail. He is being held on $200,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.

At approximately 8:00 p.m. on Oct 31, 2013, Montano is accused of driving a Toyota RAV4 eastbound near 1600 West Edinger Avenue in Santa Ana with his 21-year-old girlfriend Gloria Sanchez and 13-month-old Jane Doe.

Montano is accused of failing to stop the vehicle after Sanchez, who was holding Jane Doe, fell out of the vehicle. The defendant is accused of continuing to drive the vehicle without stopping and leaving the victims lying on the street.

Paramedics arrived and rushed Sanchez to the hospital but she later died due to her injuries. Jane Doe suffered minor injuries and is in stable condition.

The Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) investigated this case and arrested Montano on Nov. 1, 2013, after he turned himself in to police. The investigation is ongoing, anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Randy Litwin at (714) 347-8492 or the SAPD Homicide Unit at (714) 245-8390.

Deputy District Attorney Anna McIntire of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.

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Tony Rackauckas, District Attorney 401 Civic Center Drive West Santa Ana, CA 92701

Contacts:

Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami Spokesperson Office: 714-347-8405 Cell: 714-323-4486

Art Pedroza Editor

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

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