A mother watched helplessly as a driver stopped over her son’s broken body, then floored the gas to crush him twice before speeding away—what kind of heartless calculation turns tragedy into deliberate horror?
Story Snapshot
- 32-year-old Tiffany Sanchez struck 6-year-old Hudson O’Loughlin on a San Diego bike path, paused 10 seconds, then accelerated over him with both wheels before fleeing.
- Hudson, a first-grader biking with family, died at Rady Children’s Hospital; witness captured her license plate for swift arrest.
- Sanchez faces vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence, hit-and-run causing death, and driving without a license charges after family petition pressured prosecutors.
- Pacific Beach Drive’s known dangers highlight failures in bike path protections amid California’s unlicensed driver epidemic.
Tragic Collision on Pacific Beach Drive
On January 17, 2026, at 3:45 p.m., Tiffany Sanchez drove her SUV onto a bike path along Pacific Beach Drive near Ingraham Street in San Diego’s Pacific Beach. Six-year-old Hudson O’Loughlin rode his bicycle ahead with family, crossing an alley. Sanchez knocked him off his bike. She stopped for about 10 seconds as he lay injured. Then she accelerated rapidly, running over him with both wheels. She fled the scene immediately.
David Morrow, driving behind Sanchez, witnessed the horror. He recorded her license plate number, preventing Hudson’s father from chasing her. First responders rushed Hudson to Rady Children’s Hospital. Doctors pronounced him dead upon arrival. Police arrested Sanchez soon after on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence, hit-and-run causing death, and driving without a license. Her lack of a valid license underscored basic recklessness.
Family’s Fierce Push for Justice
Hudson’s mother, Juliana Kapovich, demanded safer streets for families. Aunt Nicole O’Loughlin launched a petition titled “Urge the County District Attorney: We Need Justice for Hudson.” The family insisted the act showed clear disregard for life, not mere accident. They argued Sanchez’s pause-then-accelerate move proved intent warranting felony charges. A GoFundMe supported funeral costs and grief.
Prosecutors initially delayed formal charges after Sanchez posted bail. Public pressure from the petition changed that. On January 26, 2026, the San Diego County District Attorney filed the charges. Arraignment followed on January 27. This delay frustrated conservatives who see soft-on-crime policies enabling such delays, yet family activism aligned with common-sense demands for swift accountability.
Dangerous Paths and Reckless Drivers
Pacific Beach Drive ranks among San Diego’s most hazardous streets, per the San Diego County Bike Coalition. Multi-use paths invite vehicle incursions as drivers cut across alleys without barriers. Residents like David Cuthell have begged city officials for traffic calming measures and protective infrastructure. Hudson’s death spotlights these pleas ignored for years. California’s broader crisis amplifies the risk: Riverside County alone cited 17 unlicensed drivers in one day this month.
Sanchez’s unlicensed status fits a pattern of weak enforcement. State DUI laws draw fire for leniency amid climbing alcohol-related fatalities. No evidence shows impairment here, but driving without a license screams disregard for rules protecting innocents like Hudson—a vibrant, science-loving first-grader at McKinley Elementary.
Community Mourns, Eyes Precedent
McKinley Elementary deployed grief counselors starting January 27. A memorial bloomed at the site with flowers and notes. San Diego Police Lieutenant Ceasar Jimenez detailed the investigation via press release. The DA’s choice of manslaughter without gross negligence reflects evidence: initial strike possibly accidental, but fleeing deliberate. Family views demand harsher framing, backed by witness facts.
Short-term, the O’Loughlin family endures profound loss; long-term, this case could set precedents for hit-and-run prosecutions and fund bike safety upgrades. Bike advocates predict momentum for barriers. Political pressure mounts on city hall and DA for action over words. Hudson’s story forces America to confront urban path vulnerabilities and unlicensed driving’s deadly toll.
Sources:
California Woman Driving Without License Runs Over 6-Year-Old Boy Twice, Flees the Scene
