PORTERVILLE, CA (December 1, 2025) — A Porterville family is mourning the loss of a beloved mother and grandmother who was killed by a hit-and-run driver last week. The victim was identified as 53-year-old Carol Paiste.
Accident Details: Last Saturday, Paiste was walking along East Date Avenue, west of South Park Street, when she was hit by a Honda Accord. According to officers, the driver, 51-year-old Juan Paul Jacinto Hernandez, fled the scene.
Paiste leaves behind three children and 12 grandchildren. Her daughter Sierra Paiste said, “No, I’m not okay. No, it’s not getting easier. I’m mad. I’m broken. She truly was my best friend.”
Investigation: Porterville Police arrested Hernandez on Thursday following the hit-and-run. Authorities have not released additional information about the investigation or the charges Hernandez faces.
Legal Considerations: Hit-and-run drivers who kill pedestrians and flee the scene face felony charges carrying significant prison sentences. California law requires all drivers to stop immediately after striking a pedestrian, render aid, and contact emergency services. Fleeing denies victims potentially life-saving medical care and demonstrates callous disregard for human life.
When a driver is identified and arrested days after a fatal hit-and-run, it provides the victim’s family with some measure of closure and the opportunity to pursue both criminal prosecution and civil justice. Hernandez faces serious criminal consequences for his actions, but the family also has the right to file wrongful death claims seeking compensation for their losses.
Paiste’s death leaves 12 grandchildren without their grandmother and three children without their mother. Her daughter’s description of her as “my best friend” illustrates the profound bond severed by this preventable tragedy.
Wrongful death claims in hit-and-run cases seek compensation for funeral expenses, the victim’s pain and suffering before death, lost financial support, and the immeasurable loss of love and companionship. These claims recognize that no amount of money can replace a lost loved one but can help families address the financial burden of their loss.
The arrest provides an opportunity for accountability through both the criminal justice system and civil courts.
Our heartfelt condolences to Sierra Paiste and all who loved Carol Paiste during this time of grief and anger.
Source: Your Central Valley