Pacific Beach hit-and-run case: driver accused in 6-year-old cyclist’s death pleads not guilty in court

Arraignment follows Jan. 17 fatal crash in North Crown Point alley

A 32-year-old woman accused of killing a 6-year-old boy riding a bicycle in Pacific Beach made her first court appearance Tuesday, entering not-guilty pleas to charges that include gross vehicular manslaughter and felony hit-and-run causing death.

The case centers on a collision that occurred about 3:45 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, in the North Crown Point area. Investigators allege the child was crossing an alley near Ingraham Street and Pacific Beach Drive when a vehicle turned into the alley and struck him. Prosecutors allege the driver paused briefly and then accelerated through the alley, running over the child as she continued southbound and left the scene. The boy was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

Bail increased; driving restrictions ordered if released

In Superior Court, the judge increased bail from $50,000 to $150,000 after prosecutors added the gross vehicular manslaughter allegation. The defendant was remanded into custody. The court also ordered that if she posts bail, she must not drive and must be monitored by GPS.

Authorities have also alleged the defendant was not licensed to drive at the time of the crash. Court proceedings included statements that her driver’s license had been suspended for years.

Investigation timeline and location

Police said the suspected vehicle was later located in National City and the defendant was taken into custody. Investigators have stated alcohol is not believed to have been a factor in the crash, though the broader investigation remains ongoing.

The collision site sits behind Pacific Beach Drive near Ingraham Street, an area residents describe as heavily used by drivers cutting through residential blocks. Neighbors have repeatedly raised concerns about speeding and limited visibility in alleys and at informal crossing points where sidewalks meet driveways and back-lot access lanes.

Community response and broader street-safety context

The child has been publicly identified as Hudson O’Loughlin, a first-grade student at McKinley Elementary School in North Park. A memorial appeared near the crash location in the days following his death, and local residents have renewed calls for traffic-calming measures in nearby corridors.

Separate regional safety tallies show persistent traffic-fatality pressures on local streets. Within the City of San Diego alone, 146 people were killed on city streets over a recent two-year period, excluding freeway locations, a statistic cited in local advocacy materials tied to traffic-violence remembrance events.

• Defendant: Tiffany Sanchez, 32
• Victim: Hudson O’Loughlin, 6
• Date/time of crash: Jan. 17, about 3:45 p.m.
• Location: alley near Ingraham Street and Pacific Beach Drive, Pacific Beach
• Charges include: gross vehicular manslaughter; hit-and-run causing death; driving without a license (infraction)

The court ordered no driving and GPS monitoring if bail is posted.

The defendant’s next court date is scheduled for Feb. 4.