Woman Accused In Hit-And-Run Death Faces Personal Injury Lawsuit
It appears a lawsuit will be filed against Tiffany St. Ives, a woman currently facing criminal charges of striking 17-year-old Marlene Resendiz as she tried to cross Escondido Street in Escondido, then driving away and attempting to cover up the crime. (Here's a link to some original coverage.) As you may recall, St. Ives hit Resendiz (who was about to be married), then went to great lengths to cover up the accident, including cleaning her car with bleach, repainting, and trying to sell it in Mexico. Luckily, a friend with a conscience turned her in.
Resendiz's cousin told 10News, "It's disgusting, cruel and horrible. She took much from our family that she needs to be held accountable for her actions." Now the family is rightfully filing a wrongful death lawsuit against St. Ives, who operated a sanctuary for farm animals at the time of her arrest, and who was allegedly "on the job" at the time of the accident.
The family's attorney Dan Gilleon told 10News, "It was such a heartless act on so many levels. The message that needs to be sent is if you commit a crime like this and go to great lengths to cover it up, you should spend the rest of your life paying back the family you’ve harmed so much."
Just how much? The suit is reportedly seeking $75 million in damages. Where's the money going to come from? Well, if it is established that St. Ives was indeed "acting in the course and scope" of her employment at the time of the accident, her employer (and its insurance carrier) may very well be on the hook. Good luck to the family.
Source: 10News.com
The San Diego accident and injury lawyers at Walton Law Firm represent individuals who have been injured in all types of accidents, including auto accidents, worksite injuries, pedestrian injuries, construction accidents, property injuries, and malpractice matters. Call (760) 571-5500 for a free consultation.
This terrible tragedy raises the question: when is someone too old to drive? For friends and family of Lucas, this man should never have been allowed to have his license renewed. As one said, “If he's 92 years old, why is he on the streets driving?"
