Stress and loss of sleep over an alleged stalker may be behind a fatal hit-and-run in Tierrasanta, an attorney explained Thursday.
Julianne Little, 30, was in custody, accused of felony vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and hit and run causing injury.
Little told San Diego Police she fell asleep behind the wheel on Feb. 20 when her car hit the curb on Santo Road and struck two girls walking on the sidewalk.
In a pretrial hearing Thursday, Little’s defense attorney told the court that his client had recently filed a restraining order in March 2015 against an ex-boyfriend.
“The respondent in that case had in this last week contacted her family causing her a great deal of stress and causing her to lose sleep,” attorney Tony Solare said.
NBC 7 obtained the restraining order along with images of injuries Little suffered.
Little said her ex-boyfriend beat her because he was upset she had consumed too much alcohol and had blacked out, according to a police report filed along with the order.
Prosecutors say they are awaiting toxicology test results before deciding on whether to add driving under the influence charges.
“This was almost a year ago and what somebody does on one occasion doesn’t necessarily translate to another thing on another occasion,” Solare said.
He added that his client has no criminal history and has never even received a traffic citation.
Solare said the restraining order is not an excuse but an explanation behind what may have happened Saturday.
Raquel Rosete and her friend Mekayla Lee were walking to McDonald’s around 6 p.m. when the car driven by Little veered off the road and onto the sidewalk, police said. Rosete died from her injuries. Lee was seriously injured but is recovering from home.
