Last Updated on November 1, 2018 by CCAR Staff
A La Puente man was sentenced to two years in state prison on Thursday, Nov. 1 for a hit-and-run that killed a West Covina woman in June.
Originally, Dominic Orozco, 22, of La Puente pleaded not guilty to a felony count of hit-and-run resulting in death or serious injury to another person on June 11. At his next court date, on July 18, Orozco decided to plead no contest to the felony count.
On the morning of June 7, Dahlene Martin-Lovelace, 56, of West Covina was walking in the 1100 block of East Merced Avenue when a vehicle hit her.
The driver, later identified as Orozco, struck Martin-Lovelace near the curb line and continued westbound on Merced Avenue, eventually crashing through a retaining wall and into the front yard of a home on the corner of South Neff Avenue and East Merced Avenue
Officers arrested Orozco on suspicion of hit-and-run and driving under the influence of marijuana.
Orozco received treatment for minor injuries.
Marin-Lovelace was transferred to a local hospital with serious injuries. She died of her injuries several days later at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center.
Orozco was sentenced Thursday at the county courthouse in Pomona.
Ronald Whitehill, Orozco’s defense attorney during the sentencing could not be immediately reached for comment.
