Halloween Hit-and-Run

Three teenage girls were killed in a hit-and-run involving a man who was driving on a suspended license following another hit-and-run crash while he was intoxicated. Jaquinn Ramone Bell was convicted of hit-and-run just two months ago. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail, and had his license suspended. On Halloween night he was driving at high speeds through a residential area in Santa Ana, when he struck the three 13-year-old girls who were crossing the street in a crosswalk. Andrea Gonzalez, and twins Lexi and Lexandra Perez Huerta were pronounced dead at the scene of the hit-and-run.

Bell had previously admitted to drunk driving and another hit-and-run in Anaheim. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail, and was released after eight for good behavior. Bell was supposed to appear in court at the end of August to review his progress in mandatory treatment classes, but he never arrived so a warrant was issued for his arrest. Residents are now very angry following the death of these three teenage girls, and are questioning why more was not done to keep reckless drivers like Jaquinn Ramone Bell off the roads. Especially given his prior DUI and hit-and-run offenses.

There is currently no proof that Bell was under the influence of drugs or alcohol but considering his past DUI, if he had been under the influence an ignition interlock device would have prevented him from starting his vehicle. That device would have also prevented the deaths of three innocent teenage girls who were simply trying to enjoy the Halloween festivities. Since 2010, there have been five warrants issued for Bell’s arrest, most of them have been probationary violations. This crash could have possibly been prevented if the penalties for drunk driving were more severe.

Drunk driving is a terrible offense, especially because it can be so easily avoided. Again, we have no proof that Bell was driving under the influence on Halloween, but given his past offenses it is safe to assume that he does not make the best choices when it comes to getting behind the wheel of his vehicle. If DUI penalties were harsher, those three teenage girls, Andrea, Lexi and Lexandra, would still be alive. Instead, two families are mourning the deaths of three young girls whom friends remember beautiful, funny, and always having a smile on their faces. Drunk driving should come with harsher penalties, because in this instance three young lives would not have been lost.