Driver blames darkness for fatal hit-and-run
Posted at: 09/24/2012 10:43 PM
| Updated at: 09/25/2012 12:55 PM
By: Adam Camp, KOB Eyewitness News 4
A man is behind bars after a hit-and-run in the South Valley Friday night, killing a toddler. According to authorities, the man said it was too dark to tell what he had hit that night.
Deputies arrested 71-year-old Milan Darr for leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash near Isleta and Raymac.
Darr is accused of hitting and killing 15-month-old Ivanna Valenciano.
Drivers behind Darr's truck Friday night said they pulled over to see Valenciano dead on the scene.
According to the drivers, Darr and his passenger got out of the truck to look back. The drivers said they then got back in the truck and drove off.
After deputies arrested Darr, he said it was too dark to see what he hit. He said he thought it was a dog.
A cousin of the victim spoke out Monday evening about how he thinks Darr knew what he hit and drove off.
"There were no brake marks there. No tire marks where he tries to stop, you know," said Cesar Aragon, Ivanna's cousin.
Eyewitnesses said Darr's truck swerved when he hit the girl. Tony Padilla is a South Valley activist who helped put up 57 lights along Isleta Boulevard to prevent things like this from happening.
Three of those lights are above where the girl died. But he thinks age affected Darr from seeing the girl or seeing anything after he pulled over and looked back.
Padilla said there needs to be a stop light north of where Valenciano died to slow down cars.
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