Sandoval’s death captured widespread interest after Glendale Police made an unprecedented public push to track the driver down.
Sandoval died at the scene after a Mercedes-Benz S430 sedan struck and killed her at about 9:40 p.m. July 10 as she jaywalked with her friend Diana Sanchez across South Glendale Avenue just south of East Windsor Road.
While the Mercedes was found abandoned in Van Nuys a few days later, Grigoryan — who police say was the driver of the car that night — wasn’t tracked down until the following week.
He was arrested in Mexico City while reportedly trying to board a flight to Spain. Authorities said Grigoryan was trying to return to his native Armenia.
His arrest capped off days of media coverage as Sandoval’s family and friends made public pleas for those with information to come forward. The Glendale City Council and county Board of Supervisors approved a combined $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
After Grigoryan was arrested, attorneys delayed the preliminary hearing for months as investigators completed their reports detailing the crime scene.
During the two-day hearing, defense attorney Fred Minassian argued Grigoryan had tried to avoid the collision, but when he swerved to miss Sanchez, he hit Sandoval.
But in making her ruling, Schwartz said evidence alleging Grigoryan had been traveling 60 mph in a 30-mph zone indicated a reckless disregard for human life — regardless of his poor driving record — and that her strong suspicion that second-degree murder had been committed warranted a jury trial.
Grigoryan’s record included at least five traffic violations, a stint in traffic school and two minor accidents, all of which reportedly elicited a letter from the Department of Motor Vehicles warning him of his dangerous driving habits. Minassian contested the letter and the severity of his traffic violations.
