Police make arrest in fatal hit-and-run

Mike Swanson

Laguna Beach police detained on Laguna Canyon Road early Wednesday a

woman accused of hitting and killing a pedestrian in Orange on Monday

evening.

Officer Matt Paxton questioned 41-year-old Santa Ana resident

Shelly Hanely, who was found sitting in a motor home on Laguna Canyon

Road near the San Joaquin Hills toll road just after midnight, and

turned her and a male passenger over to the Orange Police Department

at about 2 a.m.

The suspect is accused of striking and killing 44-year-old

Charanjit Jahal of Orange with her 2003 Toyota Camry at 5:34 p.m.

Monday as Jahal was crossing the street.

The Camry fled the scene with a passenger, Laguna Police Sgt. Bob

Raehaeuser said. Jahal died from his injuries late Monday at Western

Medical Center in Santa Ana.

Paxton was patrolling Laguna Canyon Road on fire watch duty, which

the police and fire departments have been doing regularly for the

last couple of weeks, Raehaeuser said. While questioning the

occupants in the motor home and running its plates, he found that the

Orange Police Department had identified the motor home as the

suspect’s vehicle.

Hanely and her passenger, whose name wasn’t released by the Orange

Police Department, were held at gunpoint by Laguna officers and

turned over to Orange officers.

Hanely was arrested on felony hit-and-run charges and booked at

Orange County Jail, Lockridge said. The passenger was arrested but

later released.