Woman in critical condition after hit-and-run incident with CVUSD teen
Lisa Solis faced a life-threatening situation on Feb. 8. The 50-year-old woman was confronting a 16-year-old about candy that he stole from a concession stand at Thousand Oaks High School when he deliberately hit her with his Mercedes-Benz. Solis suffered major injuries, including punctured lungs, internal bleeding in the brain and several broken bones. She was immediately taken to Los Robles Regional Medical Center and remains in critical condition as of Mar. 1.
According to Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Eric Buschow, the Westlake High School student fled to his car along with four other teens after stealing a chocolate bar. Solis stood in front of the car and told the boy to stop, to which he responded by accelerating and running her over. The teen got his driver’s license the day before the incident, and on Feb. 9, he was arrested on suspicion of felony assault with a deadly weapon.
The teen made his first appearance at the El Rio courthouse on Feb. 14 alongside defense attorney Ron Bamieh. Bamieh stated that the teen is a good student and feels remorse for Solis. According to Bamieh, the incident was largely due to panic and inexperience behind the wheel. Deputy District Attorney Maureen Byrne provided a rebuttal for this argument, stating that the teen deliberately used the car to seriously injure Solis. Superior Court Judge Kevin McGee decided to keep the teen in juvenile hall, potentially facing a sentence of seven years in state prison.
Solis is the activities assistant for TOHS and conducted the school’s morning announcements. CVUSD Superintendent Mark McLaughlin issued a statement showing his concern for Solis and her family. “Mrs. Lisa Solis…is a dedicated member of the TOHS team and a parent of CVUSD students. Please keep Lisa and her family in your thoughts and prayers,” McLaughlin said.
The CVUSD community has seen an overwhelming amount of support for Solis’s family. Vanessa Hernandez, Solis’ sister, set up a GoFundMe page titled “#stayingstrongforlisa” the day after the incident occurred. In less than a week, the fundraiser gathered over $30,000 from community members. “We are overwhelmed by this outpouring of love for our sister, wife, mother, daughter and friend. Your words have truly comforted and helped us,” Hernandez said.
