A hit-and-run driver in Fresno, California, pushed a car carrying a mother and her 9-year-old son into a canal, killing both, authorities say. Timothy Seth Chavez, 22, faces charges of vehicular manslaughter and felony hit-and-run. The victims were Martha Hernandez, 41, and her son Adrian.
The crash happened just before 2 a.m. on Monday at McKinley Avenue and State Road 41. Fresno police say Chavez struck the vehicle driven by Martha Hernandez, sending it into a nearby canal, then fled on foot. First responders pulled Hernandez from the car and rushed her to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her son Adrian was initially unaccounted for, having been swept away by the water; his body was found hours later miles downstream. The pair had been returning home from an Easter celebration, according to family members. Lilliana Perez, Hernandez's niece, wrote on a GoFundMe page that Chavez 'showed no concern and no remorse running away from the scene.' She described Adrian as 'a very pure and innocent person — a son, brother, student who loved school and was always involved in church with his mother.' Perez noted that Hernandez's other son, who is set to graduate high school soon, now faces funeral costs and the loss of his family ahead of the milestone. Chavez turned himself in to Fresno County Jail on Monday night. He faces two counts each of vehicular manslaughter and felony hit-and-run, plus charges for driving on a suspended license and without insurance.