Contra Costa Co. Jury Reaches Verdict In Woman's Chase Death

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA -- The death of a Pittsburg woman in a police chase and subsequent crash in Clayton in May has been ruled a death at the hands of another person other than by accident, sheriff's officials said. A jury convened in a coroner's inquest reached that verdict in the death of Maria Gaglione, 24, who died May 13 when she was a passenger in an SUV driven by Amy Fiasconaro.

On that day police went to the Clayton Station Shopping Center at 3:08 p.m. after someone called to say a person was allegedly looking into vehicles at the shopping center.

Police allege that Fiasconaro was that person and that she got into a white SUV when police drove up.

When police tried to stop her she allegedly kept driving.

With police chasing her, Fiasconaro allegedly drove at speeds in excess 80 mph on Myrtle Drive west of Ayers Road in unincorporated Contra Costa County.

Police allege Fiasconaro drove for less than a half-mile when she lost control of the SUV and crashed it into a wall and tree.

The crash killed Gaglione. Police said Fiasconaro, from Antioch, was taken to a hospital.

Sheriff's officials said the jury reached its verdict following the testimony of witnesses called by Matthew Guichard, the hearing officer.

Contra Costa County Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston convenes an inquest in all fatalities involving police, according to sheriff's officials.

The inquest is a public hearing. In each inquest, a jury chooses from four verdicts, which are accident, suicide, natural causes and at the hands of another other than by accident.

By Bay City News Service

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