A senior San Diego County health official pleaded not guilty to vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run in the death of a 27-year-old woman. The defendant cited distress over a recent mosque shooting as a factor in the crash.
- Assmaa Elayyat, deputy director of the county Health and Human Services Agency, is accused of striking Katie Osorio at a bus stop on May 22 in Southcrest. - Prosecutors say Elayyat fled the scene after the crash, which left Osorio mortally injured, and was tracked down using license plate readers.
- Elayyat's defense attorney argued her actions were driven by stress from the May 18 shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, where three people were killed. - Osorio's family expressed anger over the defense, noting she was working two jobs to support her family and plan her wedding.
Elayyat faces up to 11 years in prison if convicted.