PCAO drops case involving a collision that seriously injured a Tucson toddler

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TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) – Catalina Rodriguez was just two years old on April 16 when a vehicle ran into her stroller at a zebra crossing near the intersection of West Irvington and South 9th Streets and drove on.

Catalina’s family calls for justice after Pima County prosecutors closed their case, saying there was not enough evidence to bring charges.

PCAO’s vehicle unit was unable to place the suspected driver at the scene of the accident and says it would not be able to prove an accident as there is no evidence that the driver knew one There has been a collision resulting in injury. KOLD does not identify the alleged driver as he has not been charged with any criminal offense.

“The truck hit the stroller on the passenger side, the position furthest away from the driver in a full-size truck. The truck’s contact with pedestrians resulted in catastrophic injury to the child. Anyway if [suspect’s] Trucks were involved – which cannot be proven – it sustained very little damage, ”said a statement from the public prosecutor.

But Catalina’s family questions the narrative presented by PCAO.

“If this man has no memory of driving the vehicle in question, who is driving the vehicle for us? They know that every vehicle has an operator. If he wasn’t driving, give us the information about who it was, ”said Paul Hernandez, Catalina’s uncle.

Catalina is back home after about a month in the hospital after the incident. The family says that part of Catalina’s brain had to be removed.

“My daughter had to fight for her life and is now disabled. She was that happy little girl who ran around full of life and now she’s in bed with not much movement. My daughter has been deprived of her life and this man who did this to her is allowed to walk, ”said Cassandra Hernandez, Catalina’s mother.

Hernandez first read the PCAO’s statement and was frustrated with the lack of communication between the law firm and her family.

“When I had that meeting with the law firm, he was practically saying that because my daughter is not dead, you can’t prosecute him,” she said.

KOLD reached out to Pima Prosecutor Laura Conover, who said this was inaccurate and did not come from her office.

Tucson police say they are working on the case, but without new evidence it will remain closed.

The family says they will continue to hold such rallies until justice is done to Catalina. Her uncle also told us that he plans to take it before the State Capitol and the Arizona Supreme Court.

Copyright 2021 KOLD News 13. All rights reserved.

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