A 76-year-old woman who allegedly struck a pedestrian with her car in North Park, causing him injuries that resulted in his death nearly a week later, pleaded not guilty Thursday to a felony count of hit-and-run causing death and a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter count.
Donna Jacobs is accused of hitting 42-year-old Del Mar resident Stephen Debow with her car around 7:15 p.m. Nov. 21, then leaving the scene.
Deputy District Attorney Roza Egiazarian said Debow was crossing Utah Street at an unmarked crosswalk when he was struck by a Hyundai Ioniq that continued down the road for about 65 feet while the victim was on the car's hood.
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Debow died at a hospital six days later.
"Both sides, I think its difficult for them," Egiazarian told NBC 7 on Thursday. "On one hand, we have a family that lost their 42-year-old son who was just crossing the street, and the other hand, we have a 76-year-old woman."
Jacobs was arrested last week but remains out of custody on $100,000 bail. Egiazarian did not seek an increase in bail due to Jacobs' age and lack of criminal history, but a judge did grant her request to order Jacobs to surrender her driver's license and order her against driving a vehicle under any circumstances.
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"All cases are emotional and challenging, especially when it appears to be avoidable and seems, like, senseless," Egiazarian said.
Jacobs will have to give up her license at her next court appearance, scheduled for Dec. 18.
The hit-and-run count carries a maximum possible sentence of four years in prison, while the misdemeanor manslaughter count carries up to one year in county jail.
