California has some harsh penalties for those who are convicted of driving under the influence. For those who do not learn a lesson from their first conviction, California’s penalties get harsher with each subsequent conviction. The penalties that increase in severity include jail time, fines and fees, length of time spent in DUI school, possible rehabilitation, and length of driver’s license suspension. Beginning with the fourth DUI in a 10-year period, the misdemeanor charge becomes a felony, which often results in time spent in prison as well as a strike under California’s “three strikes” law.
The Press-Democrat reports on a repeat DUI offender who was arrested after striking a child and fleeing the scene. 47-year-old Hector Cabrales Larios was arrested on Thursday following the accident, which occurred near Coddingtown Mall.
The crash was reported at about 2:40 p.m. on Range Avenue. The child, who was approximately two years old, was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries. She is expected to survive. An officer recognized the description of the vehicle that hit the child and fled from the scene. Larios was arrested at a nearby apartment complex later that day. Larios has three prior misdemeanor DUI convictions and one prior felony DUI conviction.
Shortly before the crash, the girl and her grandmother had left the Social Security office across the street from the mall. They were getting into the grandmother’s vehicle when the child darted out into the street before the grandmother could react.
Blanca Dabrales said that Larios, who is her husband, had just returned home from work and was not involved in the crash.
