Hit-And-Run Suspect Charged In Jurupa Valley Woman's Death

JURUPA VALLEY, CA — An unlicensed driver accused of hitting and killing a 42-year-old Jurupa Valley woman and then fleeing scene was charged Wednesday with gross vehicular manslaughter and other offenses.

Jose Manuel Acosta Aguilar, 25, of Jurupa Valley, was arrested and booked into the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside Saturday following a Riverside County Sheriff's Department investigation into the death of Jamie Rena Pruitt.

Along with the manslaughter count, Aguilar is charged with hit-and-run resulting in death, being an unlicensed operator of a motor vehicle and a sentence-enhancing allegation of fleeing the scene of a crime.

Aguilar, who is being held on $500,000 bail, was slated to make his initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

The defendant allegedly fatally struck Pruitt in the 5000 block of Mission Boulevard, near Crestmore Road.

A woman suspected of aiding Aguilar in eluding law enforcement, 26- year-old Erika Marlene Guevara of Jurupa Valley, posted a $37,500 bond and was released from the downtown Riverside jail Sunday. Guevara had been booked on suspicion of being an accessory after the fact.

Sheriff's officials said the pair surrendered to deputies following reports on the fatality, which occurred about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday on Mission.

Sgt. Ronald Smith said the victim was walking on the four-lane corridor when a white 2012 Toyota Corolla plowed into her, then raced away. It was unclear whether she was crossing the roadway or walking in one of the lanes at the time.

County fire paramedics arrived within 10 minutes and pronounced her dead at the scene.

Smith said it was confirmed the Toyota "sustained significant damage to the front passenger side hood, fender and windshield."

"Deputies conducted an extensive search for the suspect and the vehicle, but could not locate it," the sergeant said.

It was unclear where Aguilar was headed, or how fast he was allegedly driving.

He has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.