Cops: Drunk hit-and-run driver kills 3-year-old girl at ice cream truck

PORTERVILLE, Calif. -- California Highway Patrol officers say a South Valley driver was drunk when he hit and killed a 3-year-old girl Sunday night as she picked out a treat from the ice cream truck.

Investigators say the ice cream truck had just pulled into a Porterville driveway when 18-year-old unlicensed driver Adolfo Balbuena hit four people before taking off. Officers later caught him hiding near the Porterville Municipal Golf Course.

CHP officers say the drunk driver had a blood-alcohol content of one-and-a-half times the legal limit. He lives near the crash scene and told investigators he knew what had happened, but he left because he was afraid and didn't have a license.

Flowers, candles, balloons and crime scene diagrams are left in front of the corner house where a broken fence is a reminder of the drunk driver who officers say made a last-second turn and plowed into a family who was picking out their selections from an ice cream truck.

"As the driver approached this intersection, at the last minute he realized he needed to make this left turn. So instead of either going by, making a U-turn and making his turn, he just abruptly made his left turn. That caused his vehicle to veer off the roadway and onto the north shoulder," said William Bowers with the CHP.

Neighbors say the family had just moved into the home a few weeks ago. Monday, the mother of the 3-year-old was too upset to talk. Two of her other children, who are 8 and 16, were also hurt in the crash but survived.

"It was very chaotic as you can imagine, when you are seeing these young people being injured and being hit by a car, and then the driver suddenly driving away," said Bowers.

Neighbors say several kids were getting ice creams at the time, and those who weren't hurt were upset and crying after witnessing the horrific scene. Officers say the 3-year-old was pinned up against the ice cream truck.

Melissa Carrillo heard a bang and rushed outside. She said, "I just heard the impact and I initially thought he had hit my vehicle that was parked out here. But when I was running out to see what had happened, my son was running back crying, screaming 'Mom, Mom, call 911.'"

Investigators do not believe the suspect was speeding at the time, but was driving reckless. Officers are trying to track down how the 18-year-old got the alcohol and whether anyone who helped him hide after the crash should face criminal charges.

The 3-year-old has been identified as Angeles Moreno. The coroner's office says a medical examination will be completed on Wednesday.

The suspect is in the Tulare County Jail on several felony charges including vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.