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School Janitor Arrested In Silver Lake Hit-And-Run Which Killed Mother

SILVER LAKE (CBSLA) – Investigators have arrested a 47-year-old man who they allege struck and killed a woman on a sidewalk in Silver Lake Wednesday morning and then drove away.

School Janitor Arrested In Silver Lake Hit-And-Run Which Killed Woman
Authorities announce the arrest of a man in a fatal hit-and-run in Silver Lake which occurred on Jan. 17, 2019. (Los Angeles Police Department)

Freddy Prieto was taken into custody Thursday morning on vehicular manslaughter charges in the death of 57-year-old Cristina Garcia.

Prieto was arrested at Thomas Starr King Middle School in Los Feliz, where he works as a janitor. The school is just a few blocks from the crash site.

The hit-and-run, which was caught on surveillance video, occurred in the 1800 block of Hyperion Avenue at about 6:15 a.m.

The security video obtained by CBS2 showed a sedan driving down Hyperion Avenue, losing control, and crashing into the sidewalk and building. The driver can be seen getting out, examining the damage and then getting back into the vehicle and driving away. Los Angeles police said the crash may have been caused by rainy weather and Prieto may not have known he struck someone.

School Janitor Arrested In Silver Lake Hit-And-Run Which Killed Woman
Authorities announce the arrest of a man in a fatal hit-and-run in Silver Lake which occurred on Jan. 17, 2019. (Los Angeles Police Department)

Garcia was believed to be collecting cans to raise money for her daughter's education, her family said.

"We are grateful, because in less than 24 hours we found out at least more about what happened, that my mom wasn't just a missing person," one of her sons, Edwin Aleman, told reporters at a news conference Thursday. "At least we got closure of what happened to my mother."

Prieto is being held on $100,000 bail.

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