Man charged w/ murder in Lancaster hit-run crash that killed 11-year-old girl

Wednesday, July 26, 2017
LANCASTER, Calif. (KABC) -- A man suspected of killing an 11-year-old girl in a hit-and-run crash was charged with murder and gross vehicular manslaughter Tuesday.

The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office charged Eduardo Medrano Jr., 25, with murder, hit-and-run resulting in death and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
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Medrano turned himself in Friday night, authorities said, after he was identified by multiple witnesses and seen fleeing from the scene of a fatal crash on July 18.

Shortly after midnight that day, two cars crashed at 20th Street East and Lancaster Boulevard. The 11-year-old girl was a passenger in one of the cars and seriously injured in the crash. She was taken to a hospital in critical condition, but died Thursday morning.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the girl, identified as Emily Tovar Echeverria, was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the car that authorities believe was a Scion.

Authorities believe Medrano caused the crash by running a red light at the intersection in a Volkswagen.
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Emily, who had been on life support until Thursday, will be donating her organs to help other children, according to a GoFundMe page set up for her. She was also an honor roll student at Tierra Bonita Elementary School.



The page said her mother is a single mother who would need help to pay for her funeral. Anyone who would like to donate may do so by clicking here.

Medrano remains in jail in lieu of $250,000 bail.
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