Woman Charged in Killing of Girl

Murder charges were filed Monday against a woman who police said admitted ramming her car into her roommate’s 8-year-old daughter, killing her.

Doreen Gutierrez, 34, of Littlerock admitted her role in the Saturday night death but offered no explanation to investigators, according to Det. Christine Carnes of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department homicide bureau.

“I asked her how come she didn’t put brakes on or try to slow down,” Carnes said. “She said, ‘I don’t know.’ ”

There were no skid marks or other signs that Gutierrez tried to avoid hitting the girl, Carnes said.

As they left a party about 9 p.m. Saturday, the roommates began arguing because the girl’s mother, Teresa Gutierrez Craidl, refused to ride home with Gutierrez, whom she suspected of being drunk.

Craidl decided to walk home on 30th Street East toward Avenue S-4, and Gutierrez got into her Oldsmobile Cutlass.

“[Gutierrez] sped past them,” Carnes said. “Then she reversed backwards behind them. Then she drove right at them, up on the curb and through a wall and a fence.”

Craidl and her 7-year-old son escaped injury. The little girl was killed instantly, Carnes said.

When Gutierrez tried to flee in the car, a man in a truck blocked the way, Carnes said. She was captured nearby and incapacitated with pepper spray after allegedly trying to resist arrest.

Gutierrez was being held without bail.