The wife of a San Francisco man who allegedly killed an elderly woman in a hit-and-run after she tossed water at his expensive car has insisted that her husband is not a murderer.
Charges Filed
Valentino Cash Amil, 31, has been charged with murder by the San Francisco District Attorney's Office after he allegedly ran over Dannielle Spillman, 74, on April 13. Amil's wife, who remains unnamed due to alleged harassment over the incident, stated that her husband is 'not a villain.'
'It's not fair that the villain that they're painting of my husband,' she told KTVU. The woman added that the charges against Amil are 'outrageous and it's not fair.'
Incident Details
Authorities reported that Spillman had seemingly taken exception to Amil blocking the sidewalk with his black 2024 Mercedes-Benz E350 sedan near the Chevron Gas Station at 1601 Mission Street in the city's South of Market neighborhood. After exchanging words, Spillman spilled water from a bottle onto his car. Amil 'immediately accelerated' and drove into her for several feet, an act captured on surveillance video. He then allegedly drove off, running over Spillman after she had fallen off the hood. She was declared dead less than 10 minutes later.
Legal Proceedings
Amil was charged last Thursday with murder and one count of fleeing the scene of an accident. He has been detained without bail, with the San Francisco District Attorney stating that he poses a public safety risk. Amil's wife told the outlet that she is not 'handling this well' and is not sleeping or eating. 'I wake up crying, and I go to sleep crying,' she added. 'Obviously, I'm being strong for my children, in front of my children but inside my heart, my heart is truly broken.' She and her two children—a five-month-old boy and an 11-year-old girl—were also in the car at the time of the alleged hit-and-run.
Victim Remembered
Friends of Spillman remembered her as a music lover who enjoyed playing her guitar. 'It's just a huge loss for everybody,' said Matt Stevens. He added: 'From the second I met her it was just like a big warm open invitation of like friendship and love.' Spillman was a transgender woman who lived in San Francisco for more than 20 years, according to KTVU. Connor McKeon, who worked at the Guitar Center music store that she regularly visited, honored her as 'one of the nicest, most personable people.' 'She was someone that would come in to hang out,' McKeon told Mission Local. 'She knew everyone's name and she knew all of our backstories.'
Self-Defense Claim
Amil has claimed that he was acting in self-defense and that he saw Spillman as a threat 'who was trying to reach into the car' and hurt his family. However, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins stated that Spillman did not pose a threat to Amil. 'As the victim proceeds around the front of the vehicle, the defendant accelerates, hitting the victim, who ends up on the hood of the vehicle before falling off into the roadway as that vehicle proceeds and then is run over,' Jenkins said, per CBS News. Amil will return to court today and attempt to obtain bail. The Daily Mail has reached out to the San Francisco District Attorney's Office and Amil's attorney, Seth Morris, for further comment.
