[msb-alumni] Man Who Hit and Killed Waverly Student is Legally Blind

  • From: Steve <pipeguy920@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <msb-alumni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2015 14:05:39 -0500

BlankHope they throw the book at him. Fifteen years doesn't seem like enough,
which is the max he faces.

Police: Man who struck, killed Waverly student said he's legally blind Matt
Mencarini , Lansing State Journal CHARLOTTE - The man police said fatally
struck
a Waverly High School student with his vehicle last month told police he didn't
have a license because he is legally blind, according to court records. Hector
Arroyo called police to report that he thought he struck a deer around 7:25
a.m.
Oct. 28, while he was driving westbound on Michigan Avenue, Det. James Maltby,
of the Eaton County Sheriff's Office, testified last month during a court
hearing. Arroyo told Maltby he didn't stop because he didn't have a license and
that the Secretary of State had suspended it because he's "basically legally
blind," Maltby testified. Maltby added that the time frame and location matched
up with the crash that killed Waverly High School ninth-grader Helina Dirba,
13,
who was crossing West Michigan Avenue near Colt Elementary School. She died at
a
local hospital several days later. Arroyo is charged with involuntary
homicide-manslaughter with a vehicle, driving while license suspended causing
death and failure to stop at the scene of a crash causing injury or death.
Edwar
Zeineh, Arroyo's attorney, said the hearing Maltby testified at just
establishes
probably cause for a warrant and like all cases there is more to Arroyo's story
than what was presented during the hearing. "We are in the process of doing our
own investigation, which furthers the work done by the police in the case," he
said. Arroyo's license was suspended indefinitely in October 2012 for a medical
reason and expired in April, according to the Secretary of State's Office,
which
added that he previously petitioned for re-examinations to lift the suspension.
The most recent re-examination in September resulted in another indefinite
suspension. Maltby testified that the damage to Arroyo's vehicle was consistent
with a vehicle-pedestrian crash, based on his experience. Witnesses told police
a vehicle caught their eye before it struck Dirby because it was driving fast
for the time of day and proximity to a school, Maltby testified. "They were
concerned about that and kind of watched him as he continued on and it was dark
out, but they saw him strike the victim who was 13 years old," he testified.
"After striking the victim, the suspect kept driving. He did not stop. Arroyo
faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. A preliminary hearing to determine
if there is enough evidence for him to stand trial is scheduled for Dec. 10 in
Eaton County District Court in front of Judge Harvey Hoffman. Contact Matt
Mencarini at (517) 267-1347 or mmencarini@xxxxxxx


Steve

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