Last Updated on January 17, 2023 by C-CAR
POMONA >> Lindsay Ann Prieto was always ready to help others particularly when she thought someone was struggling in some way, her mother said Thursday.
Moments before she died on April 24, Prieto had been at a fast food restaurant on the northeast corner of Garey Avenue and Philadelphia Street where she bought coffee for a homeless woman who she had befriended, said Cecelia Juarez-Garcia, Prieto’s mother.
“She was a very giving person,” Juarez-Garcia said. “She always wanted to share.”
At 4 p.m. Sunday about 100 friends, family and others will gather at Philadelphia Park, 6000 Philadelphia St., before starting a memorial walk to celebrate Prieto’s life, her mother said.
Shortly after buying coffee for her friend, Prieto told her friend she would be back in a moment but she didn’t return.
Prieto was in a crosswalk at Garey Avenue and Rio Rancho Road at about the 8:30 p.m. April 24 when she was hit by a vehicle that immediately left the scene, Pomona police said.
With the help of information provided by witnesses, officers were able to track down the driver and arrested Christopher Acosta, 29, of Ontario on suspicion of felony hit and run and causing injury or death, Pomona police said.
Acosta, a high school teacher with the Pomona Unified School District, was put on administrative leave soon after, said Pomona Unified Superintendent Richard Martinez.
“He’s been out of the classroom since (the incident) happened,” Martinez said.
The school district has been in contact with the police and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and will be monitoring the legal proceedings before determining how to proceed next, he said.
At this point the investigation into the incident has not been completed, said Pomona police Lt. Christian Hsu.
Investigators are still doing work on the case, he said. Investigators are also waiting for the results of toxicology tests being carried out on a sample of Acosta’s blood.
If the toxicology tests find the presence of alcohol or drugs then members of the District Attorney’s Office will amend the charges, Hsu said.
The night Prieto died five people came to her aid, Juarez-Garcia said.
With her was the homeless woman for whom Prieto bought coffee.
“She was there at the very end with her,” Juarez-Garcia said.
Pomona resident Albert Ramirez was about six cars away from the incident but he got out of his car to try to aid Prieto. Pomona police Officer Art Cruz arrived and tried tirelessly to revive her daughter, Juarez-Garcia said.
Juarez-Garcia said she arrived at the scene and attempted to reach her daughter’s body. She knew her daughter was dead but she wanted to pray beside her but because the area was a crime scene she couldn’t approach her.
Pomona police Cpl. J.T. Garcia heard what she wanted to do.
“He did it for me. He got on his knees and he prayed for her,” Juarez-Garcia said.
Later Juarez-Garcia learned that back at the police dispatch center, dispatcher Robin Oliver researched data bases and helped officers find the alleged hit and run driver.
“It gave me strength to know people care,” she said.
The memorial walk taking place Sunday will begin at the park and will take participants to Garey Avenue and Rio Rancho Road before returning to the park. At the park the Rev. Allen Stretch, pastor of Vineyard Community Church, will speak about Prieto.
The walk is a way to remember her daughter and keep her in people’s minds and give her a voice as the proceedings into her case move along, Juarez-Garcia said.
“She may have been killed but she’s still in our memory,” Juarez-Garcia said. “She is very much alive in our hearts.”
