A 21-year-old preschool teacher was killed last week in a tragic hit-and-run collision at a busy South San Jose intersection, and police say they have now arrested the 15-year-old boy responsible, who was driving a stolen car at the time.
The crash happened at 8:42 pm on Tuesday, October 24, at Blossom Hill Road and Winfield Boulevard, near the Westfield Oakridge Mall. As Bay Area News Group reports, victim April Zoglauer was driving a 2008 Nissan sedan east on Blossom Hill Road when she was struck by a white 2013 Hyundai sedan heading south on Winfield, after the Hyundai allegedly ran a red light.
Zoglauer was hospitalized with severe injuries, and she was soon pronounced dead. Doctors performed emergency surgery to deliver the 27-week-old infant she was carrying, who was given the name Devontae, but the boy died in the hospital the next day.
The driver of the Hyundai, who also had a passenger in the car, fled the scene on foot. But an investigation led to the arrest of a 15-year-old male, whose name is not being publicized because he is a juvenile.
The teen was booked Saturday into Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall on suspicion "various crimes," as KTVU reports, and San Jose police did not elaborate further.
"April was a cherished preschool teacher and beloved by all her students," said friend Tammy Lariz on a GoFundMe page. "As we come together to remember her warmth, kindness, and the love she gave to all who knew her, we also recognize the financial burden that her family is facing due to her untimely passing. In this difficult time, we are reaching out to our community for support."
The fundraiser has raised over $22,000, and had a goal of $20,000 to cover funderal expenses and medical bills.
This was San Jose's 42nd fatal collision and the 43rd traffic death of 2023.