Woman accused in hit-and-run death of grandfather turns herself in

By Pashtana Usufzy

Published Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014 | 4:19 p.m.

Updated Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014 | 6:35 p.m.

A Las Vegas woman whose attorney announced last week that she may have been the driver who hit and killed a grandfather pushing a baby stroller turned herself in Tuesday to Metro Police, officials said.

Galina Kilova, 29, was arrested on a count of felony hit-and-run involving a death, Sgt. Rich Strader said in a Metro Police video announcement.

Her attorney, Herb Sachs, said last week that Kilova planned to turn herself in Tuesday in connection with the Nov. 24 accident that killed 63-year-old Michael Grubbs.

Kilova and Sachs met with Metro Police about 2 p.m., and Kilova was arrested following an interview, Strader said.

Metro Police said Kilova was arrested in December 2007 on charges including driving without a valid license, failure to use due care and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Grubbs was pushing his 1-year-old granddaughter in a stroller on Rainbow Boulevard, near Warm Springs Road, when he was hit.

The car drove off the road to pass other vehicles, striking Grubbs and the child, police said. Both pedestrians were transported to University Medical Center, where Grubbs was pronounced dead, police said. The child suffered minor injuries.

According to witnesses, the car, a dark gray Honda Civic with a Nevada license plate beginning with the numbers 948, was being driven by a woman between 20 and 30 years old, police said.

Police were able to use the license plate information to narrow the search down to about 20 possible suspect vehicles, Strader said.

One of those cars was located about 2 miles from the scene at an apartment complex, and detectives are now processing the vehicle, Strader said.

"At no time did the Metropolitan Police Department stop investigating this case," he said.

Sachs said that Kilova will fight any charges and that she is not admitting any wrongdoing.

The pair wanted to meet with police because some of the license plate numbers released to the media matched those of a Honda Civic "that she was aware of," Sachs said.

He said that the interview was less than 30 minutes long and that he has advised Kilova not to discuss the incident.

Sachs also said there is no Honda Civic of the type described by police registered in Kilova's name.

Police are asking anyone with additional information on the case to call Metro's Accident Investigation Section at 702-828-3128. Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 or visit crimestoppersofnv.com.