Police: Suspected Hit-And-Run Driver Who Killed 1-Year-Old, Grandmother Has At Least 3 DUIs

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SAN GABRIEL (CBSLA) — A hit-and-run driver who allegedly killed a 22-month-old girl and her grandmother in San Gabriel has been arrested, and police said he has a history of driving under the influence.

Dennis Perez, 48, allegedly struck 59-year-old Meiyu Li and her granddaughter Paisley Chen with his pickup truck near intersection of Live Oak Street and Del Mar Avenue Friday night as Li pushed the child to a pre-Halloween party in a stroller. Police received an anonymous tip about Perez, as a well as dash-cam and security video of his blue Chevy S-10 leaving the area.

Perez reportedly did not stop the vehicle until he turned onto Las Tunas and kept driving. He has been booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and felony hit-and-run. It is not clear if Perez was impaired at the time of the incident.

"I immediately saw how affected the officers were — not only the officers, notifying the next of kin," said San Gabriel Police Capt. Fabian Valdez. Police confirmed Perez has more than three DUIs, but would not say if Perez had a valid drivers license.

Dennis Perez is suspected of killing Meiyu Li, 59, and her granddaughter 22-year-old Paisley Chen in a hit-and-run in San Gabriel on Oct. 26, 2018. (SOURCE: San Gabriel Police Dept.)

Sources told CBS2 News Perez has a drinking problem, a secret he revealed when he tried to hide his truck in his family's backyard.