Santa Cruz, CA…On Sunday, December 11th at approximately 8:40 p.m. a female driver was traveling westbound on Freedom Blvd approaching Scurich Lane. Driver related that she was distracted by her phone and was looking down at it prior to the collision. She looked up at the roadway in front of her and observed party 2 on a bicycle.
The front of the Chrysler collided with the rear of the bicycle. The bicyclist was ejected and suffered fatal injuries at the scene. After the collision the female driver fled the scene in a westerly direction. A vehicle description was given to CHP and dispatch. A CHP unit in the area located her vehicle driving westbound on Freedom Blvd. An enforcement stop was made on the vehicle and the driver was subsequently arrested.
The cause of the collision is still under investigation and appears that drugs/alcohol may have been a factor.