Executive Summary
- Denice Roland-Hernandez pleaded guilty to charges related to a fatal hit-and-run in Reno.
- The charges include duty to stop at a scene involving death and driving without a license.
- Sentencing is scheduled for February 12 following the investigation by the Reno Police Department.
RENO, Nev. — A woman accused in a deadly hit-and-run collision last summer has entered a guilty plea regarding the charges, according to the Reno Police Department. Denice Roland-Hernandez pleaded guilty on December 16 to one count of duty to stop at the scene of an accident involving death and one count of driving without a driver’s license.
Authorities confirmed that Roland-Hernandez is scheduled to appear for sentencing on February 12. The charges stem from a fatal incident that occurred early in the morning on August 26 near Wells Avenue and Sadlier Way.
According to the official police report, personnel from the Reno Police Department, Reno Fire Department, and REMSA responded to the collision site at approximately 4:39 a.m. Upon arrival, medical personnel declared the bicyclist deceased at the scene. The identity of the victim was initially withheld pending notification of next of kin.
The Reno Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team (M.A.I.T.) led the subsequent inquiry. Investigators stated that the vehicle involved, identified as a light-colored Chrysler 200, fled the immediate area following the collision. Roland-Hernandez was later arrested after law enforcement located the vehicle and linked it to the crash.
Judicial and Investigative Outlook
With the entry of a guilty plea, the proceedings now move from the adjudicatory phase to sentencing, where the court will weigh the severity of the offense against statutory guidelines. Hit-and-run statutes are strictly enforced to ensure accountability in traffic fatalities, and this case underscores the extensive investigative resources, such as M.A.I.T., utilized to locate drivers who flee accident scenes. It is important to note that while a plea has been entered in this specific case, the American legal system maintains that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
