Man Gets 1 Year for Hit-and-Run Death of Santa Monica Woman

A 38-year-old man pleaded no contest today to charges stemming from the hit-and-run death of a Santa Monica woman who had just placed her toddler cousin into a car seat in Inglewood.

Just before a hearing was set to begin to determine if there was enough evidence to require him to stand trial, Jesus Cazares of Inglewood pleaded no contest to a felony count of leaving the scene of an accident and a misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter stemming from the Oct. 19 crash that killed Elisa Alvarez, according to Deputy District Attorney Steven Gates.

Superior Court Judge Dudley Gray immediately sentenced Cazares to one year in county jail, followed by three years of formal probation, along with a six-month alcohol program.

The judge suspended a three-year state prison term that Cazares will not have to serve if he complies with the terms of his probation.

Cazares struck the 47-year-old woman with his pickup truck just after she had helped to put her toddler cousin into a car seat on Oak Street between Nectarine and Olive streets after a birthday party for a family member.

Cazares turned himself into Inglewood police a day after the crash.

--City News Service