Man arrested on hit-and-run after baby sitter, 3 kids struck by car

The driver of a car that hit a teenage baby sitter and three children in a crosswalk Tuesday night was arrested on suspicion of felony hit-and-run. And in an unfortunate coincidence, the teen was looking after the children because their mother had been in a car crash earlier in the day.

Jose Valdivia, 67, left the scene of the crash in a Honda traveling west on West Main Street after hitting the baby sitter and children at West Avenue, authorities say.

The 17-year-old sitter, Karrina Aguilar-Cardona, suffered the brunt of the impact after she pushed the stroller carrying two of the children out of the way before the car hit her, according to her mother, Maria Cardona. Aguilar-Cardona suffered broken arms, as well as lacerations and bruising on her face and body, but is expected to be released from the hospital in a few days.

Two of the children were not injured; the third suffered a minor injury to his mouth.

A witness followed the Honda that hit them several miles to Soderquist Road until officers arrived and detained Valdivia.

Turlock police Officer Mayra Lewis said Valdivia does not have a valid driver’s license but it is unclear if that is the reason he fled the scene.

Cardona said she had to go from one emergency room to another when she got the news Aguilar-Cardona had been involved in a crash.

Her 19-year-old daughter and a friend – the mother of the three children Aguilar-Cardona was baby-sitting – had been involved in a minor car crash in Ripon earlier in the day. “That’s why she was baby-sitting them,” Cardona said.

The 17-year-old and the children, ages 1, 3 and 4, were walking back to the children’s home from a corner store, where they had gone to get candy.

“She could see the car coming,” Cardona said. “The last thing she could remember is pushing the stroller away.

“The mother of the children went (to the hospital) and told her how proud she was. (Aguilar-Cardona) was those children’s angel and even though she was in the hospital, she kept asking if the babies are OK.”

Aguilar-Cardona is a senior at Turlock High School. Cardona said the school is providing her work she can do at home so she doesn’t fall behind as she recovers.

The District Attorney’s Office has not filed charges against Valdivia.

Cardona said she hopes he is convicted. “If you hit someone, children, how you going to run?” she said. “He had no compassion for those children.”

This story was originally published November 12, 2014 at 3:46 PM with the headline "Man arrested on hit-and-run after baby sitter, 3 kids struck by car."