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Santa Ana Police Identify Driver In Santa Ana Halloween Hit-And-Run

Arielle Samuelson |
November 3, 2014 | 11:24 a.m. PST

Web Producer

Santa Ana police identified the driver as Jaquinn Ramone Bell, 31, who fatally struck three young teenage girls as they crossed the street in front of Fairhaven Elementary School on Halloween night.

Police identified Jaquinn Bell as the suspect in a Halloween hit-and-run that killed three girls. (ABC7/Twitter)
Police identified Jaquinn Bell as the suspect in a Halloween hit-and-run that killed three girls. (ABC7/Twitter)

In a press conference Monday, Santa Ana Chief of Police Carlos Rojas said police followed Bell to a Motel 6 before arresting him on Sunday, and are now holding Bell in custody. Rojas said Jaquinn Bell has multiple addresses, one of which is in Orange County.

Chief Rojas said 13-year-old twins Lexandra and Lexi Perez and their friend Andrea Gonzalez were walking northbound in a marked crosswalk when they were hit by a 2001 black Honda CRV, which was abandoned on 1400 East Fairhaven St. The three girls were pronounced dead at the scene. 

Earlier police had arrested five suspects in connection with the crime.

"We released two adults into custody and two minors into protective custody," said Rojas. Rojas said witnesses saw a driver in the car with his two minor children.

SEE MORE: Santa Ana Police Make Arrests Connected To Fatal Halloween Hit And Run

Chief Rojas said there were no skid marks or other evidence that the driver attempted to stop or render aid.

"The speed is 45 [mph] in that area," said Rojas, adding that at that speed, even an attempt to slow down would likely fatally injure the person struck.

Mayor Miguel Pulido addressed the safety of the intersection, saying it was safe during the day, but at night it posed a problem.

Pulido said, "As a father of three, this is something that could happen to any of our children...[we need] more and more attention and more and more resources to address this problem."  

Mayor Pulido added that the community should come together to help raise money for the burial and memorial services of the three girls.

"I went out there last night and spent time with the families of the victims," said Pulido. "They had a shoebox, and as cars would come and stop they would ask for donations."

Santa Ana police say the investigation is ongoing.

Reach Web Producer Arielle Samuelson here.



 

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