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Woman Arrested After Hitting, Dragging And Killing Elderly Alhambra Man With Minivan
Kwai Ling Hong was 82 years old. (Courtesy Justice for Kwai Ling Hong Facebook Page)
Monterey Park Police announced on Wednesday that they have arrested a 33-year-old woman accused of killing an elderly man after she hit and dragged him with her minivan in January, according to the L.A. Times.The L.A. County District Attorney’s office has filed felony hit-and-run charges, along with charges for misdemeanor for vehicular manslaughter and being an unlicensed driver against Cecilia Morales de Toledo, of Alhambra. An arrest warrant was served Wednesday morning.
82-year-old Kwai-Ling Hong of Alhambra was killed on January 7th as he crossed Hathaway Avenue at around 3:30 p.m. in Monterey Park. De Toledo was turning left on to Hathaway from Hellman Avenue in her Kia Sedona, and struck Hong in the intersection. But de Toledo didn’t immediately stop, and continued driving for almost half a mile to her home in Alhambra.
De Toledo allegedly only realized what had happened when she exited her minivan in the driveway at her home.
"I parked my car and as I walk to my door I noticed there was someone in the street and another man yelling in my direction," she said to the Alhambra Source in February. "I didn't know what was going on."
Hong sustained significant internal injuries, and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Inside SoCal. Two children were also riding in the minivan on the particular drive when de Toledo struck Hong.
De Toledo cooperated with investigators at the time, and was not immediately charged. Though she lacked a driver’s license, her car was returned after a few days. Hong’s family protested at a Alhambra City Council meeting in February, saying that de Toledo was still driving. Police impounded the vehicle the next day, after de Toledo was seen driving again.
Although de Toledo did not have a driver’s license, she had obtained a driver’s permit from the Department of Motor Vehicles in September of 2015.
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Kwai-Ling Hong was a resident of Alhambra for more than thirty years. A Taiwanese immigrant, Hong kept close ties to his home and would even fly back to the country to vote in elections.
De Toledo has posted $50,000 in bail, and will be arraigned on Thursday in Alhambra Municipal Court.
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