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Police Arrest Driver In Stamford High Student's Traffic Death

STAMFORD, Conn. — Stamford Police have arrested a city man in connection with the death of a Stamford High School student who was struck and killed as she crossed Strawberry Hill Avenue on Nov. 5.

Karina Tinajero, an 18-year-old senior at Stamford High, died of her injuries after she was hit by a van on Strawberry Hill Avenue on Nov. 5. A Stamford man was arrested Saturday in connection with the death.

Karina Tinajero, an 18-year-old senior at Stamford High, died of her injuries after she was hit by a van on Strawberry Hill Avenue on Nov. 5. A Stamford man was arrested Saturday in connection with the death.

Photo Credit: GoFundMe

Wilson R. Villa-Cabrera, 37, of Fieldstone Road, was arrested Saturday morning at his residence, police said. 

He was arrested on a warrant charging him with misconduct with a motor vehicle. He was held on $50,000 bond and his passport has been seized, police said. 

If he is released on bond, his court appearance will be Dec. 30. If he cannot make bond, he will be arraigned in court on Monday.

Karina Tinajero, 18, was walking to Stamford High School to take the Scholastic Aptitude Test that morning, police said. While crossing Strawberry Hill Avenue from west to east in front of the school and not in a crosswalk, Tinajero was struck by a southbound 2000 Chevrolet Express van at 7:28 a.m. She was transported to Stamford Hospital, where she died as a result of her injuries, police said.

Police said Villa had adequate line of sight and road width that he should not have struck Tinajero, who was a senior at Stamford High. 

There is no evidence that speed; distracted driving by electronic device or that drugs / alcohol was involved in the fatal crash, police said.

The crash investigation was completed by Officers Jeffrey Booth and Thomas Drain.

Since the accident, the city of Stamford has installed new safety measures — including a new crosswalk — near the high school.

The new crosswalk on Strawberry Hill is directly in front of Stamford High's front entrance. Tinajero was struck in that area, where students frequently cross the street.

Along with the crosswalk, there will be school zone signs, yield to pedestrian stanchions, variable message signs to warn drivers they are in a school area and "Slow School" pavement markings.

Stamford High is establishing a Karina Tinajero Memorial Scholarship that will go to a high-achieving English Language Learning student who wants to attend college. Click here to contribute to the GoFundMe campaign for the scholarship.

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