Woman Surrenders in Rented Tesla Hit-and-Run Crash That Killed Father of Four

The driver suspected in the crash faces prosecution for leaving the scene without stopping to help

tesla-hit-run-crash-driver-Vanessa-Gutierrez-december-5-2019
LAPD

Amid public and media attention, a woman identified as a person of interest surrendered Wednesday in the case of a father of four struck and killed by a rented Tesla that left the scene and was later abandoned.

Vanessa Gutierrez, 35, walked into the lobby of LAPD's Central Division station Wednesday afternoon and was booked on suspicion of felony hit and run, according to Det. Moses Castillo.

The surrender came 13 days after the collision on Olympic Boulevard west of downtown Los Angeles hospitalized Emilio Perez, 34, with a severe brain injury from which he did not recover.  He died on Thanksgiving Day.

Per his wishes, his organs were harvested for transplants. 

Investigators located the Tesla, and found video they made public of a woman covering it up, before leaving in another vehicle.

"Gutierrez could not take it anymore," said Det. Castillo, who believes the woman's conscience compelled her to surrender.

At this point in the investigation, it appears to Castillo that Gutierrez was not criminally liable for the impact itself, but faces prosecution for leaving the scene without stopping to help.

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Police are still seeking another person of interest in the case. 

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