Cops: DWI driver hits, drags girl 500 feet
German Gutierrez has pleaded guilty to charges that he drove drunk, hit a 15-year-old girl crossing the street, and dragged her for 600 feet, prosecutors say. Credit: Long Beach Police Dept.
A teen riding a bicycle in Long Beach was dragged 500 feet by an alleged hit-and-run driver who told arresting officers he'd "had, like, a thousand drinks," "did a few lines of coke" and was "on Valium right now," according to court records.
Struck on Labor Day, the 15-year-old victim, Sara Colletti, remained at Nassau University Medical Center's burn unit in satisfactory and stable condition, a hospital official said.
She had been admitted in critical condition, with a badly hurt shoulder, "deep, severe abrasions" to her leg and arm, and injuries that exposed the knee and elbow joints, records say.
"Her condition has improved," said Shelley Lotenberg, a hospital spokeswoman.
Charges against the driver, identified by Long Beach police as German Gutierrez, 49, of Long Beach, include driving while intoxicated, assault and leaving the scene of an accident. He was arraigned Tuesday at Long Beach City Court and ordered jailed on $30,000 bond or $15,000 cash bail.
Jeffrey Groder of Mineola, Gutierrez's court-appointed attorney, said his client is self-employed in the software business and engaged to be married. Groder said he'd just received the case and couldn't immediately comment. He said it wasn't clear whether bail would be posted.
Gutierrez is accused of driving a 2002 red Jeep Liberty east on East Beech Street, striking the victim as she rode near Edwards Boulevard just before 9 p.m. Monday. Gutierrez then dragged her and her bike about 500 feet, police said. After she and the bicycle became dislodged from the Jeep, he continued east on East Beech, striking a parked car.
Long Beach Sgt. Eric Cregeen said Gutierrez then fled but was stopped on East Beech between Franklin and Neptune boulevards -- more than five blocks from the original accident.
Gutierrez smelled of alcohol, walked unsteadily on his feet, had bloodshot, glassy eyes and was speaking incoherently, court records say; he refused to let officers do alcohol intoxication tests, so they obtained a court order to draw blood. Those results weren't made public.
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