A speeding driver in a blue Honda Accord struck two women on Paseo de las Lomas in Tijuana’s Terrazas del Valle neighborhood on March 23, leaving both with critical injuries. The driver lost control of the vehicle, which bore California license plates, and hit the pedestrians before fleeing the scene with a passenger. Neither occupant stopped to help the victims.
Neighbors Rushed to Help Before Paramedics Arrived
Both women suffered serious head, facial, and limb injuries in the crash. Neighbors and employees from nearby businesses reached the victims first, providing initial assistance before Red Cross paramedics arrived on scene.
Municipal police were the first emergency responders to reach Paseo de las Lomas. They secured the area and impounded the blue Honda Accord, which the driver had abandoned nearby. The FGE (Baja California State Attorney General’s Office) opened an investigation into the incident.
California Plates Complicate the Case
The Honda Accord carried California license plates, a detail that could add legal complexity to the investigation. Vehicles registered in the United States are common on Tijuana streets, since the city sits just south of the San Ysidro border crossing. But U.S.-plated cars driven in Mexico often lack valid Mexican auto insurance, which can leave victims without a clear path to compensation for medical bills and lost income.
Under Mexican law, fleeing the scene of an accident is a criminal offense. If the driver is identified, the FGE can pursue charges that carry prison time. Because the vehicle was impounded, investigators have a starting point to trace ownership through the California registration.
Terrazas del Valle sits in eastern Tijuana, a residential area along the road connecting the Otay Mesa border crossing to the city’s southern colonias. Paseo de las Lomas is a main artery through the neighborhood, and residents have long raised concerns about speeding on the stretch where the crash occurred.
The FGE has not yet announced any suspects or arrests in the case. The condition of both women remained critical at the time of the initial report, according to Punto Norte.