Woman charged after Cathedral City hit-and-run crash that severely injured man in wheelchair

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) - A woman arrested in connection with a crash that left a man in a wheelchair in critical condition last week in Cathedral City appeared in court to face hit-and-run charges.

Andrea Lauren Hill, 38, of Yucca Valley, pleaded not guilty to all charges Monday at the Larson Justice Center, according to court records.

Police said Hill was identified by witnesses as the driver who struck the victim, who was struck shortly before 3:30 a.m. Tuesday on Date Palm Drive, south of Gerald Ford Drive, according to the Cathedral City Police Department.

The man was crossing the street outside of a marked crosswalk when a white van traveling southbound struck him. The man, while lying in the roadway, was hit by a second vehicle seconds later, police said

A witness told authorities the white van was last seen heading southbound on the Date Palm Drive Bridge and according to police, witnesses identified Hill as the van's driver who fled the scene. CCPD officers used surveillance video to locate the vehicle in the area of Perez Road and Cathedral Canyon Drive and identified Hill, said Sgt. Rick Osborne.   

Hill met with CCPD traffic investigators Wednesday, provided them with a statement and was arrested for suspicion of felony hit and run with injury, Osborne said. She was booked into custody at the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio.

Authorities questioned the driver of the second vehicle, who remained at the scene.

The pedestrian was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs in critical condition.

Anyone with additional information regarding the collision or the driver of the van was urged to contact Investigator Albert Felix at 760-770-0343 or Afelix@cathedralcity.gov.