Merced police say he left the scene after killing a girl. A judge lowered his bail
The bail amount for a Merced County man accused of striking a girl with his car and then fleeing the scene was cut by more than half on Thursday.
Isaac Gustavo Maldonado, 22, of Livingston has pleaded not guilty in the Dec. 4 incident that killed 3-year-old girl Dayveonna Polk of Merced, according to investigators.
Maldonado, who was arrested on Dec. 5, was being held in lieu of $601,000, according to jail records. His bond was lowered to $131,000 on Thursday by Merced County Judge Ronald W. Hansen.
Witnesses told police Dayveonna was walking with family in a crosswalk at the intersection of 18th and R streets in Merced when she was struck by a purple 1999 Honda Accord, which then drove away, according to police reports.
His attorney, Christopher J. Caine, argued Maldonado’s bail was excessive because he lives in Merced County and is employed.
Dayveonna suffered major injuries and was taken to Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera where she later died. Police have said Maldonado was the driver after piecing together video surveillance from several businesses in the area of the collision.
Caine said there is doubt that Maldonado was the driver on the day of the incident, that the driver was aware of the collision and whether the driver was at fault. He went on to say Maldonado went to Modesto to be with his wife who was in the hospital for treatment related to complications with the couple’s newly born child, who was born prematurely.
“The fact he was in Modesto has nothing to do with what may or may not have happened,” he said.
Michael McAfee, a Merced County deputy district attorney, asked the judge to maintain the higher bail amount, saying Maldonado fled the scene. “He not only left, but he left in a hurry,” he said.
Dayveonna’s mother, 37-year-old Shawan Bradford, asked the judge to leave the higher bail amount in place. Outside the courtroom, she said “my baby didn’t deserve this.”
“(Maldonado got) the easy way out,” she told the Sun-Star. “He left the first time. So why would you let him out?”
The girl was remembered as a “friendly,” “lovable” “princess” by dozens of family and friends who gathered the day after her death to light candles in her memory.
Maldonado has an arrest record that includes allegations of burglary, graffiti, vandalism, obstructing and parole violations, according to jail records.
His next court hearing is 8:30 a.m. Feb. 15.
This story was originally published January 18, 2018 at 4:24 PM with the headline "Merced police say he left the scene after killing a girl. A judge lowered his bail."