17-year-old girl killed, mother injured in hit-and-run accident under the influence of alcohol in Oakland

OAKLAND, California. – A 17-year-old girl was killed and her mother injured by a suspected drunken hit-and-run driver in Oakland, investigators said.

The teenager, Mardenia Carrillo Lopez, was with her mother in a crosswalk when they were struck by a car near 72nd Avenue and International Boulevard around 6:30 p.m. Monday.

Mardenia died at the scene of the accident.

Her mother suffered injuries to her hand and shoulder. But the driver did not stop. Instead, he crashed into a tree in the median a few blocks away. The Impala landed near 84th and International.

“I'm sad because this is bad news for us,” said Oakland pastor Hector Hugo, who supports the family, including the girl's father, who is from Guatemala.

“Right now, all of us in this church are supporting him and his family during this difficult time,” said Hugo.

KTVU has learned that the suspect is Agusto Matias. He was apprehended with the help of witnesses, arrested by Alameda County Sheriff's officers and turned over to Oakland Police.

He was arrested for vehicular manslaughter, hit and run and drunk driving. Records show he has a previous drunk driving conviction.

Hugo said the tragedy was a sobering reminder of the consequences of drink-driving.

The fatal accident has also rekindled concerns that the busy International Boulevard has been narrowed to one lane, which some drivers say has led them to use the bus lane and cause accidents.

“It's very sad. The city of Oakland has done nothing,” said Crecencio Ramirez, founder of Oakland-based Radio B'Alam, which broadcasts in Maya Mam, a Mayan language spoken by the victim's family in Guatemala. He has been spreading news of the tragedy.

“This is not the first accident. I have seen about three out of four family members in the Mam community die in a car accident,” Ramirez said.

The latest accident occurred in Councilman Kevin Jenkins' district. He says safety along International can be a challenge.

“It is an absolute tragedy any time someone so young, who has had so much to experience, is killed by reckless driving,” Jenkins said.

Henry Lee is a crime reporter for KTVU. Email Henry at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan