Santa Cruz: Arraignment delayed for suspected hit-and-run driver
The woman accused of striking a Watsonville-area man as he crossed a street and then fleeing remained out on bail Monday after her arraignment was delayed.
Joanna Steele was arrested in connection with the accident that caused fatal injuries to Adolfo Galvan. The 70-year-old was struck on Aug. 24 and died from his injuries last week.
Galvan’s family is trying to come to terms with their loss.
“He didn’t look like himself, he was unrecognizable,” said his daughter, Dorothy Galvan, about visiting him in a Bay Area hospital.
“One of his fingers was still able to squeeze our hand, so we’re positive he knew, before he was heavily sedated and never woke up again that he knew that his daughters were there and that we loved him,” Galvan said.
Galvan said her father went to pay his parking meter in Santa Cruz when was struck crossing Pacific Avenue.
Steele, 29, is accused of hitting him and then driving off.
Dorothy Galvan said Steele made eye contact with her in court Monday with a blank stare.
“She killed somebody and the bail wasn’t raised,” Galvan said. “I’m trying to understand the justice system and have faith in it, but that very much so angers me.”
Adolfo Galvan was born in Mexico, but eventually moved to Watsonville when he was 19.
In 1975, he opened up Fargoe Glass in Soquel. Dorothy Galvan lived with her father and also worked at the shop. She said he taught her to be honest with people among other life lessons.
“It’s almost like if someone pointed out something that you didn’t really want to see in the mirror, but he did it in such a way that you wanted to work on it,” she did.
She said her father would have gotten a kick out of his entire family pouring into the hospital.
“He would have said so you’re taking over? Yep, we took over,” she said.
Steele’s next court date is Sept. 29 for her arraignment. She was arrested on a reckless driving charge but could face enhanced charges in light of Galvan’s death.
Galvan’s funeral is set for this weekend.
