Follow us on

Monday, May 20, 2013 | 2:28 p.m.

Posted: 5:51 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31, 2012

Suspect pleads not guilty in fatal Twin Peaks DUI hit-and-run

Gina Eunice Twin Peaks DUI hit-and-run suspect
Gina Eunice Twin Peaks DUI hit-and-run suspect

KTVU.com and wires

SAN FRANCISCO —

The woman accused of hitting several people and killing one while driving near San Francisco's Twin Peaks pleaded not guilty Monday.

23-year-old Gina Eunice is facing multiple charges for the fatal December 20th accident.

In court Monday morning, prosecutors said Eunice had a blood alcohol level of .23 at the time of the crash.

Eunice was arrested after allegedly fatally striking 56-year-old Chinese citizen Yuee Yao at about 8:50 p.m. on December 20th on Christmas Tree Point Road near Twin Peaks.

Eunice is charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, two counts of DUI causing injury and one count of hit-and-run, all felonies. She is also charged with two misdemeanor counts of endangering the health of a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Police said Eunice's sedan struck Yao and two other victims, knocking them off the roadway and down a hillside. The victims were taken to a hospital, where Yao died. The other pedestrians' injuries were not life-threatening.

Police found the sedan in the lookout point parking lot and took Eunice into custody. Officers also arrested two men, ages 22 and 25, on suspicion of public drunkenness.

A 17-year-old girl in the car suffered minor injuries and was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, police said.

When she first appeared in court last week, Eunice was ordered held on $2 million bail by Judge Samuel Feng. If she posts bail, she must wear a device that confirms she is not drinking, and will not be allowed to drive, Feng said.

Her defense attorney Pam Herzig said outside of court that Eunice and her family are "destroyed by what happened."

Herzig said Eunice "has never been in trouble before" and was a quarter away from graduating college and had plans to become a police officer.

District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement, "The defendant's reckless and callous behavior has cost Ms. Yao her life. Her life has abruptly and tragically been taken away from her family. This is yet another tragedy that illustrates the consequences of drinking and driving."

More News

 
Featured Articles
Ads By Google
 

Today on KTVU Channel 2 News at 5

Today on KTVU Channel 2 News: Child Proof Caps

Child-proof caps are supposed to keep little ones out of dangerous prescription bottles. But wait until you see the jaw-dropping video of what happened when we asked some 4-year olds to open bottles with child-proof caps.

KTVU on Twitter

Bay Area Living

San Francisco's Crissy Field hosts an art exhibition

If you’ve recently walked through San Francisco’s Crissy Field and wondered what those huge iron sculptures were, you’ll now find out.