Golf cart involved in alleged hit-and-run was on the road illegally

A man driving a golf cart was taken to the hospital after a hit-and-run crash on Country Club Drive in Palm Desert on Monday night. Guadelupe de la Paz, 44, of Calexico was arrested a few hours later on suspicion of felony hit and run. She has since been released on $10,000 bail. The man suffered minor injuries. It turns out he shouldn’t have been behind the wheel of a golf cart that late at night. According to the city’s municipal code, golf carts are only allowed on the road between one hour before sunrise and one hour after sunset. At Luxe Electric Cars they sell high end golf carts. In order for the cart to drive legally on the road in Palm Desert carts have to be equipped with many of the similar safety features of a car including head lights, brake lights, mirrors and a horn. Carts can only be driven on roads with a posted speed limit of 30 miles-per-hour or under, unless there is a designated golf cart lane. “We ask people are you using this for golf, transportation or both and if they lean to transportation we really cover the rules and make sure they understand the rules,” said Jason Weir the general manager of Luxe Electric Cars. A golf cart driver will need a valid driver’s license, a permit from the city the cart is driving in, and are required to wear a seat belt. Golf cart accidents can be especially catastrophic. Just over a year ago two men and their dogs were killed when a woman was allegedly speeding and struck their golf cart in Thousand Palms. Most of the people interviewed in Palm Desert say driving a golf cart isn’t that dangerous as long as drivers are paying attention. “They are not as bad as motorcycles, but if they come up behind them and you don’t see them, but usually they are big enough and on the road. I think they are safe,” said Roxanne Stairs of Palm Springs. “People here don’t drive like they do in Los Angeles and it’s totally different. People here respect golf cart drivers like they respect bicyclists and pedestrians,” said Arezo Bedrosian of Palm Desert. People caught being intoxicated behind the wheel of a golf cart can get a DUI. Each city in the Coachella Valley has different rules for driving golf carts. Golf cart drivers need to make sure they have a permit and know the rules of the road for the city they are in. JOE GALLI IS ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER!