Santa Cruz, CA…On 9/112022, at approximately 2211 hours, a 099 Merced. Benz was traveling westbound on Capitola Road, west of 7th Avenue, at an undetermined speed. A pedestrian on a motorized wheel chair was crossing the roadway in a southerly direction, west of the Mercedes.

The Mercedes struck the pedestrian as the pales.. entered the roadway after which the driver of Mercedes fled the scene in a westerly direction on Capitols Road. A short time let, the Mercedes was located abandoned on a nearby street.

The pedestrian was transported to Natividad Medical Center for life threatening injuries and later succumbed to injuries sustained.

The roadway was closed for approximately 3.5 hours for the crash investigation. Fatal yidim information is releasable through the Santa Cruz County Coroner’s office.

Through investigative means, CHP apprehended the driver of the Mercedes, Jessica Thompson, early Monday morning at her residence in Santa Cruz. Thompson was arrested for Felony DUI, Vehicular Manslaughter hit and run..