Last Thursday, the holidays were shattered for two elderly occupants of a Volkswagen Beetle, injured in a hit-and-run collision. As reported by the Santa Rosa Police Department on social media, the incident occurred at the intersection of 4th Street and Bryden Lane, where multiple reports were received by their dispatch center at approximately 6:36 PM. Tragically pinned inside their vehicle, emergency responders had to work swiftly to free and provide critical care to the 71-year-old male driver and his 72-year-old female companion.
The suspect, fleeing the scene, leaving behind a Chevrolet Suburban, seemed to show disregard for the life hanging in the balance within the crumpled Beetle. Only later, investigators from the Santa Rosa Police Department Traffic Unit stitched together the strands of evidence and identified 49-year-old Ryan Hughes, a local of Rohnert Park, as the alleged perpetrator. Wrapped in the anonymity of a local motel, Hughes was apprehended last Saturday, just two days after the collision took place.
Ryan Hughes now faces severe legal consequences for his alleged actions. He was booked into the Sonoma County Jail under charges of hit and run causing great bodily injury and violation of post-release community supervision, Santa Rosa Police detailed. Hughes’ existing record, which included previous encounters with law enforcement, added a layer of complexity to the case, reflected by his PRCS status at the time of the arrest.
The Santa Rosa Police Department urges anyone with information to come forward and contact Traffic Investigator Matteri at 707-543-8561.
