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Woman who pleaded guilty in death of beloved grandfather begins jail term

Heidy Zelaya Almendarez, 24, began serving a year in jail Wednesday. She'd pleaded guilty in a hit-and-run that left Octavio Espinal dead.

Cecilia Dowd

Jun 10, 2026, 5:41 PM

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Octavio Espinal "was a very happy person," his granddaughter Victoria told News 12.

Espinal was hit in Freeport last November by a driver who fled the scene.

He died days after he was struck.

Heidy Zelaya Almendarez, 24, pleaded gulity to leaving the scene and admitted to concealing her car in her backyard.

She began her one-year jail term on Wednesday and will be officially sentenced at a later date.

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