Manteca police are explaining why a suspected driver in a fatal hit-and-run involving a 73-year-old woman has not been arrested, saying investigators need more time to complete “complex investigations.”<\/p>\n
Police said the suspected driver was interviewed Tuesday by after the person contacted an attorney, who then arranged the interview with police.<\/p>\n
The investigation stems from the Sept. 18 death of Blanca Estella Ruiz-Loya, a 73-year-old Manteca woman who was hit while walking home from church, according to police.<\/p>\n
Officers were called around 5:50 a.m. to West Lathrop Road near Fifth Street after reports that a pedestrian had been hit.<\/p>\n
Firefighters were already providing lifesaving care when officers arrived. Ruiz-Loya was taken to a hospital, where she later died.<\/p>\n
Police previously said witnesses reported that the driver left the scene in the vehicle involved.<\/p>\n
Why police have not made an arrest<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Manteca police said fatal-collision investigations require investigators to examine multiple pieces of evidence before determining who was at fault and what enforcement action is appropriate.<\/p>\n
That can include damage to the vehicle, injuries suffered by the victim, the driver’s statement, electronic data from the vehicle, evidence from the crash scene and witness accounts, police said.<\/p>\n
The department said that analysis normally takes a couple of months.<\/p>\n
Police also addressed why they did not make an arrest for the hit-and-run portion of the investigation after interviewing the suspected driver.<\/p>\n
According to police, because the hit-and-run allegation is connected to the fatal collision, making an arrest on one part of the case would trigger a timeline for submitting reports on the entire incident to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office.<\/p>\n
Police said prosecutors cannot prosecute one charge immediately and another charge later in the same case.<\/p>\n
Investigators said they still need to corroborate the suspected driver’s statement and examine the other evidence.<\/p>\n
Police also said they determined the person was not a flight risk because the individual had voluntarily contacted the department through an attorney.<\/p>\n
Manteca police said they will not provide additional details at this time.<\/p>\n
\n More from CBS News\n <\/p>\n