Driver who fatally struck pedestrian and then fled gets 2 years in prison

A person on probation who ran over and killed a 31-year-old man after the victim walked in front of him on a Riverside street, then fled the scene, was sentenced Wednesday to two years in state prison.

Jeffrey Scott Carey, 53, of Riverside pleaded guilty last week to hit-and-run resulting in death, along with a sentence-enhancing allegation of fleeing the scene of a deadly accident, for the February death of Hector Cardenas of Ontario.

Carey’s plea was directed to Riverside County Superior Court Judge Sean Crandell without input from the District Attorney’s Office.

Crandell imposed the term of imprisonment that he deemed appropriate given the circumstances, but refrained from specifying the amount of victim restitution that should be paid to Cardenas’ family. The judge instead directed the Department of Probation to make a determination and return to court next month for further adjudication of the matter.

At about 7:45 p.m. on Feb. 15, Cardenas walked in and out of westbound lanes of Jurupa Avenue just west of Florence Street for unknown reasons, according to Officer Ryan Railsback of the Riverside Police Department. Witnesses told police that at one point, Cardenas even laid down, causing vehicles to go around him. His behavior was never explained.

Railsback said Carey was driving a Subaru Impreza westbound and slammed into the victim, barely pausing before accelerating away from the location. Paramedics pronounced Cardenas dead at the scene.

Detectives spoke to several witnesses, but were not immediately successful in finding potential suspects. However, after developing leads over several months, they identified the car and driver, according to Railsback.

An arrest warrant was served at Carey’s workplace in Jurupa Valley, where he was taken into custody without incident on June 11.

According to court records, the defendant has prior convictions for hitand-run resulting in property damage, receiving a stolen vehicle, possession of controlled substances and creating a malicious disturbance.