Tragedy struck Thousand Oaks late last year when an 84-year-old woman, Sheila M. Pluntke, was killed in a hit-and-run incident on New Year's Eve. Found injured in a parking lot at 2011 Los Feliz Drive, Pluntke was pronounced deceased at the scene, as reported by Hoodline. This incident occurred just as the year was drawing to a close, and the call to 911 by an individual who stumbled upon the distressing scene did not include a witness account of the fatal event.
The Ventura County Sheriff's Office quickly took to investigate the matter, attempting to agilely piece together the series of events that led to Pluntke's unfortunate demise. According to Senior Deputy Marcos Moreno, "evidence that suggested the deceased was struck by a vehicle in the center of the small parking lot" was found, as described by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. The vehicle was reportedly moving southbound through the parking lot at the time of the collision.
After several months of detective work, Thousand Oaks Police Department's Traffic Bureau apprehended the suspected driver, Flavia Molina, who was arrested and charged with Gross Vehicular Manslaughter While Intoxicated, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. Despite the severity of the charge, Molina was released on her recognizance on July 22 and awaits a future court date, detailed further in a news release by the Traffic Bureau.
