Locals speak about candidate hit & run

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) -- News 8 spent Friday knocking on doors, trying to chase down a State House candidate who is charged with leaving the scene of a crash.

Bridgeport Democrat Christina Ayala crashed her car a day after winning the primary for a state House seat.

Ayala, her mother and her cousin are all in the political field and are well-known in the community. Friday they were nowhere to be found and are not saying anything, but others are, including the man Ayala beat in the Primary.

"It doesn't look good for something that was elected, and it's up to the people who voted for her," said Angel Reyes.

Ayala's beat up car sat outside her home Friday, and someone else sat inside her home.

News 8 knocked and someone lifted up the curtain and walked away, so we knocked again. No answer.

News 8 and Bridgeport voters wanted to know more about Ayala's involvement in a car crash that occurred Wednesday night.

Ayala tells police she hit a car and stopped to check on the other driver, but took off once the man started yelling at her.

A witness says she never paid attention to the car she hit.

Ayala tells the Connecticut Post, "we collided at an intersection and I panicked, I wish the best for miss Belize and I regret my misjudgment."

We tried to call Ayala to let her know that we'd like to talk to her, but she didn't pick up. That's when we called her mother Sanata Ayala, the Democratic Registrar of Voters.

She said, "I have no comment, no comment, thank you."

"Do you think that it's strange that she's not answering the door or not answering our phone calls," News 8's Erin Logan asked Reyes.

"I feel that we should display accountability for what we do," Reyes said, "everybody makes mistakes."

Some voters are more forgiving than others.

"I support the Ayala's very much," said Junior Martinez, "they do a lot for the city of Bridgeport."

"I think that will affect voters' decisions," said Stephanie White, "I really do."

"Did you vote for her in the Primary," asked Logan.

"No," said White, "I'm glad I didn't."

"It wasn't very responsible of her, being that she did that. She has the title, she has responsibilities, and that don't look right," another woman said.

Ayala's lawyer reached out to News 8 to say that they have no comment while the case is pending.