Daughter Of Long Beach Hit-And-Run Victim Pleads For Driver To Come Forward
LONG BEACH (CBSLA.com) — The daughter of a woman critically injured by a hit-and-run driver in Long Beach last weekend said she is devastated.
Maria Mendoza was walking to the bus stop on her way home from work when she was struck at the intersection of Willow Street and Long Beach Boulevard at about 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, according to Long Beach police.
The victim's daughter, Isabelle, said her mother's heart could stop at any moment.
Investigators said the driver ran a red light, struck the 59-year-old Compton woman in a crosswalk and left her to die.
The mother-of-five and grandmother was taken to Long Beach Memorial Hospital, where she is fighting for her life.
"Her pupils are not reacting right now. Her brain activity is very little," the daughter said. "And she has a broken pelvis and a broken femur."
The victim's daughter said she was tortured by the thought that she will not get a chance to speak to her mother one last time.
"It's very sad and scary because we don't even get to say goodbye or to know that she is OK with leaving us," Isabelle cried.
Investigators described the suspect's vehicle as a champagne or beige SUV, possibly a Toyota Rav-4 with no cover on the rear spare tire.
Witnesses said the driver appeared to be a white elderly man with gray hair, according to police.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the Long Beach Police Department at (562) 570-7355.
