Man Arrested in Death of Girl Killed by Car at Swap Meet
A Paramount man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter in the death of a 7-year-old girl who was struck and killed at a swap meet earlier this month, police said.
Javier Castellanos Flores, 52, was arrested without incident and was being held at Anaheim City Jail. Bail was set at $3,500.
On Feb. 16, Julia Garcia of Los Angeles and her 8-year-old brother were standing behind a parked car from which their parents were selling merchandise at an Anaheim swap meet when Flores, who was trying to back his van into the adjacent space, hit the children, police said.
Julia was pinned between the van and her parent’s car, police said. She suffered major chest and back injuries and was transported to Anaheim Memorial Hospital, where she died a short time later. Her brother suffered minor injuries to one leg.
After the accident, which occurred at 1520 N. Lemon St., police said it appeared that Flores had been having trouble parking and struck the children as he accelerated backward.
Police on Wednesday did not release any details about the investigation that led to Flores’ arrest.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
