What was initially thought to be a hit-and-run that killed a Rankin County teen has been determined to be an accident.
Irina Gutierrez, 17, was walking along Old Fannin Road on the night of Feb. 26 when she was struck by a vehicle. According to the Rankin County Sheriff s Office, she was found unresponsive and taken to a hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
Deputies first thought she had been struck by more than one vehicle because a driver who struck her and who remained on the scene said Gutierrez was on the ground when she hit her. That was the assumption we had at the time and we continued to operate under that assumption in the initial part of the investigation, Paul Holley, legal counsel for the Rankin County Sheriff s Office, said Tuesday.
Teen s February death on Old Fannin ruled tragic accident
Irina Gutierrez died after being hit by a car Share Updated: 5:48 PM CDT Apr 19, 2021
The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox.
Irina Gutierrez died after being hit by a car Share Updated: 5:48 PM CDT Apr 19, 2021 There will be no charges related to a February accident that took the life of a 17-year-old girl in Rankin County. On February 26, officials with the Rankin County Sheriff s Department said Irina Gutierrez was walking down Old Fannin Road near Jack s Place when she was hit by a car. At the time of the incident, investigators believed the teenager to be the victim of a hit-and-run. After further investigation, Rankin County officials said they have determined she was only hit by one vehicle, whose driver never left the scene and cooperated fully with the investigation. Authorities are calling the incident a tragic accident and no one will be charged.
A mother and daughter reunited after 15 years. Three months later, the daughter was killed She said she loved her life. She laughed hysterically and had a beautiful smile. She was everything good. Everybody loved her.
Mississippi Clarion Ledger
She lost her daughter 15 years ago. On Feb. 26, she lost her a second and last time. She was walking home, Starkishia Bolding said of her daughter, Irina Gutierrez. She had just been out walking. I was outside on my back porch smoking a cigarette. I heard sirens. That s how I knew something was going on. It was close to the house. My husband, we got in our vehicle to find out where the sound was coming from.
Mother of victim in fatal Old Fannin Road hit and run begs driver to come forward
Mother of victim in fatal Old Fannin Road hit and run begs driver to come forward By Therese Apel | March 2, 2021 at 10:44 PM CST - Updated March 2 at 10:44 PM
Seventeen-year-old Irina Gutierrez had been in America for three months, finally reunited with her mother, Starkishia Bolden, after 15 years. In November, Irina and her brother were finally able to come to America to join her family.
“She was my first child, my only daughter, my only daughter,” Bolden said. “The world lost an angel because you’ll probably never meet anyone that kind spirited. She wanted to be a model, she was beautiful. Um, and if not a model, she wanted to be a cardiologist or a veterinarian.