Community efforts and a timely tip from a witness led to the arrest of an 81-year-old woman, Laura Greenberg, in connection with a hit-and-run that injured a 7-year-old girl in Sebastopol. The incident occurred last Saturday when a white Toyota Prius allegedly struck the child on Green Valley Road. California Highway Patrol (CHP) Santa Rosa officers revealed that public assistance was crucial in tracking down the suspect vehicle, which was found to have damage to its right side mirror consistent with the pieces recovered at the crime scene.

Initially, CHP appealed to the public for help, releasing information about the vehicle, which was believed to be a pearl white Toyota Prius from 2010 to 2017. A fragment of the car, including a right-side mirror found at the scene, was key to identifying it. Following the incident, footage from a local business aided authorities in identifying a vehicle matching the description. Authorities clarified that while a photo of the Prius had been released, it was, at the time, a "vehicle of interest," as per Hoodline.

Responding to the information shared by law enforcement and media, an individual witness provided a tip that led to discovering the matching vehicle at Greenberg's residence in Sebastopol. Upon being questioned by officers, Greenberg admitted her involvement in the crash but claimed she was unaware of what she had hit. Following her admission, she was arrested and booked into Sonoma County Jail.