A woman is accused of driving her car into a mother and her two children, killing one of them, and then speeding away during a Michigan celebration.
Police say she committed the crime and was driving without a valid licence.
Tammy Sandoval, 55, has been charged with one count of operating a vehicle while licence suspended, revoked, or denied causing death and two counts of operating a vehicle while licence suspended, revoked, or denied causing serious injury, according to court records in Wayne County, Michigan.
According to the Livonia Police Department, Sandoval has also been charged with failure to stop at the scene of a fatal accident and two counts of failure to stop at the scene of a serious injury.
On Sunday, June 29, around 10:45 p.m., Livonia police officers responded to the area of Lyndon Street and Merriman Road, where the Livonia Spree festival was taking place. Investigators discovered that Tia Robinson, 28, and her two twin children were hit by a vehicle while crossing the street.
“Due to the time of day, traffic signals were flashing red for Lyndon and yellow for Merriman,” the Livonia Police Department stated in its report. “The mother and her children were hit by a vehicle that then fled the scene. Witnesses on the scene removed the injured children from the road.”
Khalil Robinson, three, later died from his injuries. Tia Robinson, the boy’s mother, and his twin sister were both critically injured, according to police. The family found it difficult to believe that such a tragedy could happen.
“All they wanted to do [was] go and have fun at the funfair and the fireworks,” the children’s grandmother, Regina Robinson, told Detroit-based Fox affiliate WJBK.
“Why would anyone keep going without stopping, trying to see if they’re okay, and can they help?” she enquired. “Can they save them instead of driving off acting like they didn’t hit anybody?”
The twins’ grandfather also stated that it is the “first tragedy” in his family.
“I have no idea step-by-step, day-by-day, and today is the first day, so there will be long, long days ahead,” Michael Robinson told the outlet.
He also remembered his grandson as a “special little child” who enjoyed dancing.
“He would always go and take stuff to his sister, so if I gave him a piece of candy, he would take one for his sister and take it in there to her,” according to the grandfather. “He was very loving towards his sister.”
Sandoval appeared in court on Thursday and remained silent while the charges against her were read aloud. Prosecutors claim she was leaving the fireworks show when the crash occurred, but her defence attorney claims she was unaware she had hit anyone.
The suspect is scheduled to appear in court on July 10 at 9 a.m. She is being held under a $600,000 bond.
The Livonia Spree festival took place this year from June 24-29 to commemorate the city’s 75th birthday.
