Woman pleads not guilty to drunk driving hit & run and destroying evidence

A young woman accused of driving drunk and triggering a fiery Christmastime crash in Coachella, then fleeing on foot and destroying blood samples drawn to determine her blood-alcohol level, pleaded not guilty to felony and misdemeanor charges.

Daniela Montano, 20, of Bermuda Dunes, was arrested Sunday in Thermal in connection with the crash last Dec. 23 at the intersection of state Route 86 and Avenue 50.

Prosecutors charged her last month with drunken driving causing injury, hit-and-run and a misdemeanor count of destroying evidence, for allegedly crashing into another driver while drunk, fleeing the scene on foot after sheriff’s deputies arrived, then smashing open two vials of her blood at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Indio.

At 5:56 that morning, Montano was headed east on Avenue 50 in a silver Honda Accord that crashed into a black Jeep Grand Cherokee traveling north through the intersection on state Route 86, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Olsen.

The Jeep caught fire, but motorists who stopped to help were able to extinguish the flames, Olsen said.

The Jeep’s driver, Jesus Mendez, suffered a broken foot, ankle and finger, according to court documents, which also state that Montano refused to provide a statement to sheriff’s deputies regarding the crash, then fled on foot.

She was found hiding behind two concrete pillars not far from the crash scene, an arrest warrant declaration states.

Blood samples were taken after Montano was transported to John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Indio to be checked out. The two vials holding the samples were placed inside an envelope near Montano’s hospital bed, but Montano took the vials and broke them open, according to the declaration. A second blood test revealed a .11 percent blood alcohol content.

Montano, who’s being held at the Riverside County jail in Indio in lieu of $50,000 bail, will return to court June 16 for a felony settlement conference.