The Antelope Valley Times

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Hicks charged with murder in crash that killed toddler

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Marvin Hicks was charged with murder Monday (Dec. 10).

LANCASTER – A Palmdale man who allegedly led deputies on a high-speed chase that ended in a crash that killed a two-year-old girl has been charged with murder, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Officer.

Marvin Travon Hicks was charged Monday with one count of murder and one count of evading an officer and causing injury, according to court records.

Hicks appeared in an Antelope Valley courtroom Monday afternoon and pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to LADA Public Information Officer Jane Robison. His bail was set at $1.1 million, Robison said. Hicks is due back in court on Dec. 19 for a preliminary hearing,

Hicks is accused of causing a crash, around 4:56 p.m. Thursday (Dec. 6), that killed two-year-old Madison Ruano and seriously injured her mother Tina Ruano.

Hicks was fleeing deputies at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour at the time of the collision, sheriff’s officials said.

The high-speed chase began when deputies spotted Hicks driving recklessly and running a red light on Sierra Highway at Avenue J in Lancaster. Hicks weaved in and out of traffic, ran numerous red lights, and briefly drove on the wrong side of the road during the police pursuit on Sierra Highway, officials said. (Read more here).

Hicks was going west on Avenue I when he ran a red light and crashed into Ruano’s blue Lexus, which was headed north on 10th Street West, according to Lancaster Station Traffic Sergeant Paul Pfrehm.

After the crash, Hicks was surrounded and arrested by deputies. (Photo by NOE VILLEGAS)

Tina and Madison Ruano were transported to the hospital, where Madison died of her injuries. Tina Ruano was in serious but stable condition as of Friday.

Hicks was treated at the hospital and released into police custody late Thursday night; he has remained jailed ever since.

Sympathy from residents has poured in for the Ruano family. A makeshift memorial created at the crash site continues to grow with dozens of candles, teddy bears, balloons, and cards expressing sympathy for the family’s loss. (Read more here.)

A facebook page created in honor of Baby Madison Ruano has more than 3,000 “Likes”; and a memorial fundraiser established online for the family had raised more than $12,000 as of Monday (Dec. 10).

To donate to the memorial fundraiser, click here. To view Baby Madison Ruano’s facebook page, click here.

A YouTube video titled “Madison Rest in Paradise” has also been created. View the video below.


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Related articles:

Memorial established for toddler killed in crash

Lancaster toddler killed by driver fleeing police

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Filed Under: Crime/ Safety

40 comments for "Hicks charged with murder in crash that killed toddler"

  2. Praying for the family who lost their baby girl. Marvin, I don’t know what happened to your life,this is a horrible thing you did. I’m not going to be the Judge and Jury here…I won’t post hatred remarks,perhaps being put away will cleanse your mind and body from those awful drugs that consumed you over the years. You will probably spend many years in prison for the wrongful death of a baby I will pray for you and your family,as well. Peace!!

  3. WHY are these pos’s even given the option of pleading not guilty when so many people saw what happened? The ONLY people who win in these court cases is the worthless lawywers.

  5. I first want to say I’m sorry for the loss of this little baby girl. My heart goes out to the parents of Madison & Tina I read on Facebook that she is home now but in pain. I’m sure those physical pains do not add up to the emotional pain of losing your little girl. I really want to try to go to one of the fundraising events for little Madison and support you guys with the rest of community. My uncle saw the whole thing, matter of fact before the news got out at all he came and told me what happened. I was hurt before even knowing the condition of Tina and Madison. What’s crazy is my uncle also told me that Hicks lives a few houses down from him and he said everyone in the neighborhood would say how weird and drugged out Hicks seemed. He said Hicks lived with his parents smh. I just want to know if his parents knew he was on drugs why did he have access to a car? I know he’s grown but his childish careless acts shows he is not a man! So many things couldve been avoided. I just hate the times we are living in.

  6. Capital punishment is reserved for first degree murder. I’m not a legal expert, but as I understand that requires at least one of a few specific qualifications. The main one is premeditated murder. I think another is multiple murders. There isn’t likely anything in this crime that qualifies for the death penalty. And the death of an innocent child, while tragic, isn’t any different in the eyes of the law than the death of an innocent adult. I’m not saying this to defend Hicks, I’m saying this to point out to all those saying he needs to die, that that’s just not going to happen. The murder 2 count should carry the possibility of life in prison, which is probably most appropriate, much as I hate to have to pay his living expenses the rest of his life.

  7. HERE WE GO AGAIN!! LIKE I SAID IN PREVIOUS COMMENTS! HICKS IS GOING TO CRY TO HIS MAMA(JUDGE) AN SAY “YO ARNER, IM NOT GUILTY, POLICE CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. SHURE I WAS RUNNING RED LIGHTS AN DRIVING LIKE A MAD MAN BUT I WAS LATE TO MY MEETING WITH THE HELP THE WORLD FOUNDATION! AS FO ME SUPPOSEDLY BEING ON A SUBSTANCE, I TOOK SUM NYQUIL THAT WHY I WAS CRAZZY AN STUFF”
    WELL THIS JACK ASS IS NOW COSTING US MORE TAX PAYERS MONEY AS WE HOUSE HIM IN JAIL AN FEED HIS A$$!!! HICKS! STOP PLAING YO “BS” GAMES AN TAKED LIKE A MAN AN STOP! YOUR GUILTY!!!!

  8. Lets hope this is not another case of someone falling through the cracks and ends up in jail for 4-5 years and then back on the streets, while this family will have the loss of Madison for a life time. Like I said before, when the police had him on the ground they should have shot him when they had the chance.
    RIP Madison

  9. “Hicks appeared in an Antelope Valley courtroom Monday afternoon and pleaded not guilty to the charges”

    – By claiming he is not responsible for his actions mean he is trying the insanity defense. Well, lets see if he can prove his insanity by a preponderance of the evidence.

  10. My heart breaks for this family.. Makes me sick that this beautiful baby girl is gone. I know she is an angel baby now with Jesus but it still isn’t fair!!! Her mommy and daddy should have been able to watch her grow up and this man took that from them. I pray he gets life in prison at the very least. From the bottom of my heart I am so sorry Ruano family. I am praying for you every day.

  11. I have a question why didn’t the police break off the chase and let their Million Dollar plane track him, and they could pick him up later. this did not have to happen

    • The “chase”, as you refer to it, lasted less than a minute. Yet another astute member of our society blaming law enforcement rather than the criminal.
      NO, this didn’t need to happen because HICK’S didn’t need to do what he did!

      • Poor Elaine thanks for the compliment ;-)… I wish I could return the compliment, however, I didn’t blame anyone.. I think I asked a question (genius)…& again I repeat THIS DID NO HAVE TO HAPPEN..

        • Poor Elaine thanks for the compliment ;-)… I wish I could return the compliment, however, I didn’t blame anyone.. I think I asked a question (genius)…& again I repeat THIS DID NO HAVE TO HAPPEN..

          …Usually when one ‘asks’ a question they follow said question with a “?” – That’s a question mark (genius) – So without ending said question with a “?” it appears you were making a condescending statement directed at law enforcement, implying that if the Sheriff Dept had backed off this all could of been avoided. This was a tragedy waiting to happen, and the same people that want to point fingers at our local law enforcement as a scapegoat would be in an uproar had the deputies decided to fall back or ‘break off’ and go into surveillance mode. This did not have to happen..

          More like IT SHOULD NOT OF HAPPENED – Not because of a ‘million dollar’ airplane that the CITY OWNS (not the Sheriff’s Dept) – Rather, because Mr. Hicks should not of been behind the wheel of a car driving 100+ mph, smashed out of his mind on alcohol (and who knows what else)- This was a horrible tragedy that Mr. Hicks is responsible for causing. Even if the city’s plane was airborne at the time the only thing that the pilot would of witnessed was a tragedy from a high altitude. My heart goes out to the family of this little girl and I hope that justice is served out appropriately to Mr. Hicks.

          • AGAIN I STATE THIS DID NOT HAVE TO HAPPEN… THE POLICE SHOULD HAVE DONE MORE.. LIKE BLOCK OFF THE STREETS IN THE DIRECTION HE WAS HEADING. I COULD GO ON AND ON, BUT I DONT WANT TO WAIST TO MUCH OF MY TIME ON IDIOTS LIKE YOU HATEFUL ASS PEOPLE ON HERE..

          • ? -did you forget your meds? There was not time for that, the only way this could not have happened is if your friend Mr Hicks had not gotten behind the wheel of that car.

        • @ Question-
          #1 I was being facetious when I referred to you as astute.
          #2 What was your question? As North County stated questions are usually follwed with a ? mark, genious.
          #3 When you devise an executable plan to block off, streets within 1 minute, with a suspect driving 100 miles per hour please let law enforcement know. I’m sure they’d be knocking down your door to learn more from your expertise on this matter.
          #4 Please stop with the ALL CAPITALS. It’s bad cyber etiquette.

    • This was posted in another thread, so I will repost it here for anyone foolish enough to actually think this could have been prevented:

      Let’s cover the basics.

      1) The perp was already driving at excessive speeds and recklessly BEFORE police became involved. That means this accident could have happened (or another) whether law enforcement became involved or not.

      2) Law Enforcement will not conduct PITs, spike strips, roadblocks, etc in high volume/traffic areas because it will make the situation even MORE dangerous than it already was.

      3) Law Enforcement was following him only a short time, not enough time to get the helicopter up and in the sky to follow him.

      Weather conditions (ice on the rotors, high winds, etc) can hinder aerial surveillance times as well.

      4) Without aerial surveillance for someone this dangerous, chances are they were following to keep visual, and I am sure some deputies already knew that no matter what they did there was going to be an accident (which is why the unmarked unit followed.)

      5) Even with high speeds and great radio communication, there is no way to get patrol units synced to do roadblocks when a vehicle is traveling at high speeds in high to moderate volume traffic.

      What does happen is if he rolls into a subdivision of cookie cutter houses, they will secure the whole block (units will roll to every entrance/exit path as fast as possible) while the first 3 units or so in the pursuit follow the suspect around inside.

      That situation did not present itself.

      6) In all reality, there is only one person responsible for this accident, and it is Hicks. The deputies did not make him speed and drive recklessly before they were even near him. He did, he chose to do it. If he was high or drunk, he chose to do that as well. No one forced him to. It was all by his own choice.

      Hicks killed the toddler by choosing the actions he did. It is completely reasonable to assume that Hicks probably would have killed someone that night no matter what if he kept driving in the method he did.

  12. This guy needs a bullet in between the eyes. He dones’t even need to see the court. Guilty. Death. One less scumbag.

  13. Could’ve been my wife; could’ve been my daughter. My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

    There by the grace of God go I.

    RIP Madison.

    • Such a good looking family and such a waste and a loss for this town. The man should be given life and no parole…this is very sad situation. How is the Mother doing?

  14. I drove by this baby memorial and my heart dropped RIP baby girl and god will be his judge no man can punish him like god can.

  15. I can assure you he is not related to Mozelle Hicks (owner of Hicks Mortuary). I work with her (not at the mortuary, but behind it), and talk to her every day. We started talking about this story, and she expressed the same sentiment as most of the people here. He does not deserve the air in his lungs. He took a precious innocent life, and for that I believe the death penalty is the right form of justice. He is a sorry excuse for a human being.

  16. My heart breaks for this family. I can’t even imagine the pain the are dealing with. Their Beutiful Madison will forever watch over her amazing parents. I send my love and prayers for the Ruano family.

    And as far as the nogood son of a bitch who took this sweet baby girl. I pray that you burn in hell. Such a waste if a human!!

  17. And yet 53% of Californians voted “NO” on prop 34 this last year. Re-enact Capitol punishment and dirt bags like this wouldn’thave a smile on their face after commiting such an atrocious crime

    • Funny that I don’t see anybody smiling as you claim to be happening, Jose. Also; do you really believe that the death penalty (which, by the way, would not apply to this case anyway) would have made any difference whatsoever in this tragedy?

    • No on ’34’ or Yes on ’34’ didn’t matter, it still takes 20-30-40 years or more before they ever see the straps that will be holding them down during lethal injection, if we are lucky another criminal out of Mira Loma will stick him like a pig in the coming months.

      • Unfortunately you are correct, and some Hollyweird actor will take up his cause.Don’t think he’ll be in Mira Lima though, that’s for the illegal -oops, undocumented aliens.

  18. They would have to put me on suicide watch while incarcerated if I had done that to someone’s child.

    But I bet that scumbag is sitting in jail thinking about how much jail time he’s going to do and how this will affect HIS life.

    Ugh. At least he can’t hurt anyone with his selfish recklessness anymore.

  19. That’s the Right Call! I have been saying it since this happened! Murder is the only appropriate charge for this POS!