Family of grandmother fatally struck in Compton calls for prosecution of driver

The family of a 77-year-old grandmother who was struck and killed by a pickup truck in Compton nearly 2 1/2 years ago called on the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office today to reopen the case and file charges against the driver.

Justa Garcia of Compton was struck about 5 a.m. on Dec. 19, 2018, at Caldwell Street and Wilmington Avenue and died at the scene.

The motorist, whose name was not released by authorities, remained at the crash site and was interviewed by investigators.

The District Attorney’s Office twice reviewed the case — during the tenure of former D.A. Jackie Lacey and most recently earlier this year — and declined to prosecute the motorist, noting that the driver was not speeding and
had the green light and that it was dark outside at the time and the victim was clad in dark-colored clothing, KTLA reported.

At a news conference this morning outside the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles, the woman’s family and their attorney, Luis Carrillo, called on District Attorney George Gascon, who took office in December, to review the case a third time and prosecute the motorist.

“Who are we supposed to look (to) for justice if it is not the people that represent us, the people that are supposed to take into consideration our justice, the victim’s justice?” said Martha Garcia, speaking about her grandmother.

“She was the victim in all this,” Garcia said. “And at the end of the day, she is dead — and the man that killed her is still out there.”

The District Attorney’s Office did not immediately comment on the family’s request to review the case a third time.

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