SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Prosecutors have filed charges against Tiffany Sanchez, who is accused of striking and killing 6-year-old Hudson O'Loughlin in a tragic hit-and-run incident in Pacific Beach.
Sanchez appeared in court, where she pleaded not guilty to vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run charges. Inside the courtroom, emotions ran high as community members showed up with posters of Hudson O'Loughlin.
Prosecutors allege Sanchez hit Hudson while he was riding his bike along Pacific Beach Drive. They say she briefly stopped, then drove off—running him over a second time.
"The defendant did not stop, she did not render aid, she did not assess the situation or try to help out, she didn't, she did not call 911," said Cassidy McWilliams, deputy district attorney.
During court proceedings, the deputy district attorney revealed Sanchez had been driving without a valid license for nine years and said she is a flight risk.
An attorney representing Hudson's family said they are pleased to see charges filed against Sanchez.
"We are heartened to see that the district attorney's office has brought the vehicular manslaughter against Ms. Sanchez," said Andre Bollinger, civil attorney representing Hudson's family.
This hit-and-run has sparked outrage across Pacific Beach, leaving neighbors shaken and grieving.
"I saw it just after it happened, and I saw the sweet little boy on the ground, and that was devastating. I don't think anyone slept that night," said Lindsay Chilson, Pacific Beach resident.
When Sanchez was first arrested, she posted $50,000 bail. But during court, the judge increased that bail to $150,000, and Sanchez was taken into custody.
"My office is committed to holding Ms. Sanchez accountable for that loss of life and seeking justice for Hudson," McWilliams said.
The defense attorney says Sanchez is a mother of two and claims she deals with anxiety and panic attacks.
If Sanchez posts bail, the judge ordered that she have a GPS monitor and not be allowed to drive. Her next court date is set for February 4.
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