A Glendale man who fled the scene of a car accident that killed a 4-year-old girl pleaded no contest Tuesday to one felony count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death.
Shant Badleean, 56, was immediately sentenced to 360 days in county jail, three years formal probation and the loss of his driving privileges for six months, according to a news release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Badleean was ordered to surrender on May 2 to begin serving his sentence.
The girl, identified by family members as Violeta Khachaturyan, was playing in her front yard just before 5 p.m. on March 6, 2015, when she ran onto East Wilson Street and into the path of an oncoming car, Sgt. Tom Lorenz with the Glendale Police Department reported at the scene.
‘It is apparent that the child unfortunately ran into the street in between two parked cars,” Lorenz said.
The impact threw the girl 40 feet. She landed on the back of another car, shattering the rear window, according to Lorenz.
Badleean continued driving without stopping to render aid, the DA’s office stated.
Violeta was transported to Glendale Adventist Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Badleean surrendered to police the day after the crash.