The San Jose Mercury News: Driver, 66, charged in Morgan Hill crash that killed bicyclist
By Mark Gomez
mgomez@mercurynews.com
Posted: 01/12/2010 10:10:25 AM PST
Updated: 01/12/2010 10:10:35 AM PST
A 66-year-old Morgan Hill woman has been charged with vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence stemming from the October death of a bicyclist struck and killed in a crosswalk, according to law enforcement officials.
Sandra Arlia turned herself into San Jose police Dec. 28, the same day a $7,000 warrant was issued for her arrest, according to Morgan Hill police. Arlia was released on bail and is scheduled to be formally arraigned Jan. 19, according to Amy Cornell, a Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman.
The misdemeanor charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in county jail, Cornell said.
Arlia declined to talk about the case.
Rory Tomasello, 22, of Morgan Hill was riding in a crosswalk west of Monterey Road and Edmundson Avenue on Oct. 23 when he was struck by a 2004 Cadillac, Morgan Hill police said. The first officers to arrive found Tomasello conscious and lying in the road. Officers said he appeared disoriented and complained of leg pain. He was taken to Regional Medical Center of San Jose, police said.
In early November, police learned that Tomasello had died.
Tomasello was crossing Edmundson in a marked crosswalk and was halfway across the street when he stopped to wait for oncoming traffic, according to police Sgt. Jerry Neumayer. The driver in the lane closest to Tomasello stopped to allow him to cross, Neumayer said.
As Tomasello proceeded to cross, he was hit by the Cadillac driven by Arlia, according to police. “We’re assuming the other driver did not see him, and they collided,” Neumayer previously told the Mercury News.
