SANTA ANA, Calif. – A woman pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to three years in state prison for fatally hitting a pedestrian, fleeing the scene, committing insurance fraud, and falsely reporting the vehicle damage as vandalism to her insurance company and police.
Defendant: Belen Guadalupe Sicairos, 24, Santa Ana
Pleaded guilty today to the following counts:
Felony
Hit-and-run causing death
Insurance fraud through a written claim
Sentence: Three years in state prison
Jorge Luis Lopez-Lobato
Circumstances of the Case
At approximately 2:00 a.m. on Nov. 29, 2015, Sicairos was driving westbound on First Street in Santa Ana and struck 35-year-old Jorge Luis Lopez-Lobato as he was crossing the street. Sicairos drove away from the scene without stopping the vehicle to render aid or assistance to the victim.
Witnesses at the scene called 911 and officers from the Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) responded to investigate the hit-and-run. Lopez-Lobato was pronounced dead at the scene.
Later that day, Sicairos filed an insurance claim with Alliance United Insurance Company (Alliance United) for vandalism on her vehicle.
The defendant reported that her vehicle was parked near 17th Street in Santa Ana and that she had found the vehicle with damage to the driver’s side and windshield area at around 2:30 a.m.
Sicairos filed a police report with SAPD on Dec. 2, 2015, claiming her vehicle had been vandalized while parked.
During Alliance United’s investigation of the insurance claim, Sicairos submitted a notarized Affidavit of Loss claiming vandalism was the reason for the damage to her vehicle.
After seeing media coverage seeking additional information about the fatal hit-and-run, a witness reported a vehicle matching the description of the vehicle involved was located at an auto body shop in San Bernardino County.
At the sentencing today, the victim’s sisters were present and delivered victim impact statements to the Court pursuant to Marsy’s Law. Sandra Lopez-Lobato stated, “The loss caused a very deep pain to my parents, to all of us… This is a pain that they have not gotten over and I know they will never get over it.” Gabriela Lopez-Lobato, stated, “I hope she [Sicairos] has a conscience and does not do this again.”
Prosecutor: Senior Deputy District Attorney Eya Garcia, Auto Insurance Fraud Unit
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TONY RACKAUCKAS, District Attorney
Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff
Office: 714-347-8408
Cell: 714-292-2718
Michelle Van Der Linden,Spokesperson
Office: 714-347-8405
Cell: 714-323-4486
Art PedrozaEditor
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.
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.
