By Gary Mays

gmays@

themonroetimes.com

MONROE — A Monroe woman has been fined and sentenced to probation, after initially being charged with striking a person on an electric bike with her car and fleeing the scene last spring.

Alicia Santiago Francisco, 45, was charged with felony hit and run causing injury following the incident April 10 at 18th Avenue and Mansion Drive at about 3:45 p.m.

That is when police allege Santiago Francisco struck the bike with her car, before fleeing the area as the victim lay injured in the street. Several drivers stopped, and one followed the car and snapped a picture of its license plate, according to the criminal complaint.

“(The other driver) advised when she turned around, the person was still lying in the roadway and other vehicles, including a school bus, stopped to check on her,” said the complaint. “(She) advised after she obtained the license plate, she called 911 and reported the incident…”

Police responded but before they arrived the offending driver was gone, as was the rider of the electric bike. Police located Santiago Francisco using her license plate information, and discovered she did not have a valid driver’s license.

But just as police were leaving their downtown station to search for the suspect car, a blue sedan driven by Santiago Francisco pulled into the church parking lot. Police took her into custody and questioned her about the previous incident.

“Alicia advised she was scared and left the area, but after a few minutes she realized she needed to do the right thing and report the incident,” said the criminal complaint.

After initially being held on the charges without bail, in the end, the felony hit and run charge was dropped, and Santiago Francisco pleaded no contest to a reduced violation — for Hit and Run, Property Adjacent to a Highway — resulting in a fine but no jail time.

The victim located later at her Monroe home, had multiple “visible injuries” according to authorities, but denied direct transport to the hospital.