On November 3rd, officers arrested a suspect following a fatal pedestrian hit and run collision on Ashby Avenue near Regent Street.
On November 3 at approximately 6:38 pm, Berkeley Police officers responded to Ashby Avenue and Regent Street after receiving a report that a pedestrian had been struck by a westbound vehicle that fled the scene.
Officers and emergency personnel arrived to find a 64-year-old woman suffering from serious injuries. The Berkeley Fire Department transported her to a local trauma center, where she later succumbed to her injuries.
Given the severity of the collision, the Department’s Fatal Accident Investigation Team responded to conduct an investigation.
A witness played a critical role in helping officers identify the suspect vehicle. After spotting a silver Kia Soul a few blocks from the collision scene, the witness provided officers with its license plate number.
Using that information, officers entered the vehicle into the Department’s Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system. At approximately 9:02 pm, the system generated an alert indicating the vehicle had entered Interstate 80 from the Gilman Street onramp.
Officers immediately responded and located the vehicle traveling toward San Rafael, just beyond the Interstate 580/80 split. They conducted a traffic stop and detained the 66-year-old driver.
Following their investigation, officers arrested the driver on suspicion of the following offenses:
- VC 23152(a)—Driving Under the Influence
- VC 23152(b)—Driving Under the influence with BAC 0.08% or more
- VC 23153(a)—Driving under the influence causing injury
- VC 23153(b)—Driving under the influence causing injury with BAC 0.08% or more
- VC 20001—Hit and Run causing injury
- PC 191.5—Gross vehicular manslaughter
This incident highlights the important role technology can play in supporting public safety and criminal investigations. ALPR technology provided officers with a timely alert that helped them locate the suspect vehicle within hours of the collision. This was particularly important because locating the driver quickly allowed officers to investigate the driver’s possible impairment close in time to the incident.
Just as importantly, this investigation demonstrates the value of community involvement. The witness who came forward with the vehicle's license plate information provided a critical piece of evidence that, combined with ALPR technology and the swift response of our officers, helped bring this investigation to a timely resolution.
We are grateful for the community's continued trust and support, and especially for the witness whose actions helped officers locate the driver.
Our thoughts remain with the victim's family and loved ones.
Case 2026-00049323
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