Prospect Heights Hit-and-Run Driver Turns Herself In

The woman who struck two women—leaving one with brain injuries—last month in a Brooklyn hit-and-run finally turned herself in. Frances Jasmin surrendered at the 77th Precinct and was arrested and charged with "leaving the scene of the accident which resulted in serious injury."

Erinn Phelan and Alma Guerrero had been crossing at Flatbush and Prospect Place when an Acura Legend hit them; Guerrero, 23, suffered a broken collarbone, while Phelan, 22, was severely injured and is currently in a coma. The police found the abandoned car and tracked it down to owner Cindy Jasmin, who said that her sister Frances was driving—and that she was in psychiatric hospital because she was distraught.

The Post reports that while cops questioned Cindy Jasmin's claim that her sister was the driver, later "investigators began to give her story more credence after records placed Jasmin's cellphone in the vicinity of Prospect Heights shortly after the Feb. 21 accident, sources said. Cops also spoke to someone who told of receiving a phone call shortly after the accident from Jasmin, who said, 'I just hit two people.'"

A lawyer for Frances Jasmin, who is being held on $300,000 bond or $150,000 cash bail, said, "She's not been on the run or in hiding. She didn't know what she hit and then when she finally knew she was at the hospital the next day." And Cindy Jasmin told the Daily News, "As much as we're going through it, it's even tougher for" the victims' families.

Phelan is a coordinator in the mayor's volunteerism effort; Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday, "Today the New York City Police Department made an arrest in the hit-and-run case that has left Erinn Phelan clinging to life. Erinn is a fighter, and all of us here at City Hall — and from around the city — are pulling and praying for her."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on March 11, 2010 8:25 AM

Comments [rss]

WorksInDUMBO

This happened on Febraury 21, and her sister has been implicating her from day one. Why did it take this long for them to arrest her?

jaycjay

Right. Once they were told, "it wasn't me, it was my sister," they should have just arrested the sister.

I mean, everyone believed that story -- just go back and read the comments from the earlier reports. There was no need to develop any other evidence. Her sister said Frances did it; that'd be enough to convict her in court.

Gwinny

What about Cindy showing up at the car service and saying she had just been in an accident?? I don't understand how that ties in.

jaycjay

Was it Cindy, or could it have been Frances? I'd like to see good full-length -- and recent -- pictures of both of them. In general it doesn't seem unreasonable that witnesses who saw one sibling could mistakenly identify another pictures of another sibling as the same person.

Eyewitness identifications, of course, are infamously unreliable.

Gwinny

It was footage taken from a videocamera, and several people supposedly ID'd Cindy from the footage. Oh well, none of this makes a lot of sense... it also doesn't help when the above is just referring to the sisters by the last name as that makes it harder to figure out who said/did what.

handsomedevil

Cindy said it wasn't her or her sister at the car service.

(shrug)

Abbott

I'm not surprised at all. That whole section of Flatbush Ave leading up to Grand Army Plaza is so dangerous. I've almost been ran over several times crossing there. People drive way too fast and I never see police enforcing the speed limit.

CommissionerGordon

^Thanks, JMH, for that comment. I agree 100%. So distraught after running over 2 people but she sure was able to park that car nice and neat to make her escape. Sis says she didn't contact us for 24 hours but then sis drives her to get admitted to the psych ward where no one can contact her. How convenient.

BTW, did Frances stop on the way to the 77th to get her hair done? Sure does look nice after 3 weeks at Shutter Island.

JMH

"As much as we're going through it, it's even tougher for [the victims' families]."

I'm sorry, what? Are you implying that what you're going through (after, you know, your sister COMMITTED A CRIME) is anywhere near what Erinn Phelan's poor parents must be experiencing right now?

schadenfreudian mensch

It wasn't me. It was my evil twin I'd tell ya.

jajaja

she should spend the rest of her life in jail.....

csk

If she would have stayed at the scene, the most she would get charged for is a traffic infraction. Likely not, but that's how it works when you hit someone in the the City.

handsomedevil

not if she was drunk

Chuck Schumer's Fat

This site is quickly turning into a New York Times proxy and showing itself to being a serious SELL OUT. In fact, it seems the New York Times is now a major advertiser and influencer (just read this article). That said, most of its headlines are more New York Post. I'd predict scummy local political ads soon.

Chuck Schumer's Fat

Note: This comment was meant for the ridiculous vapid restaurant/hotel article above. John Del Signore should travel outside the US or Costa Rica and see how the world really eats.