A grim incident unfolded on the streets of Santa Rosa yesterday, where a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian sent shockwaves through the community. According to a post by the Santa Rosa Police Department, at approximately 7:13 p.m., officers and medical personnel rushed to the intersection of Morgan St. and College Ave. upon receiving reports of a pedestrian hit by a vehicle.
The first responders found a male in his 70s lying unresponsive in the roadway. He was swiftly transported to a local hospital and remains in critical condition. The driver, later identified as Brigido Pena Villanueva, fled the scene, but in a bizarre twist, left behind critical evidence, including the vehicle’s bumper and license plate. 24 minutes after the incident, he called the Santa Rosa Police dispatchers to reveal his location and provide his side of the story, blaming malfunctioning windshield wipers for the collision during the rain. Rohnert Park DPS apprehended him, and SRPD Traffic Investigator subsequently arrested him.
Evidence collected indicates that the pedestrian was walking in the eastern crosswalk of College Ave at Morgan St., and Villanueva’s blue 2019 Toyota Tacoma was traveling eastbound from Hwy 101 at about 35mph when the pedestrian was struck, with no signs of alcohol involvement from the driver. He was booked at the Main Adult Detention Facility for felony hit and run with serious bodily injury. His claim about the poor weather conditions has yet to be confirmed by the ongoing investigation.
The Santa Rosa Police Department is appealing to the public for any additional information that could shed light on the cause of the collision. Anyone with information is asked to reach out to Officer M. Mieger at [email protected], as the Traffic Team continues its detailed analysis of the events that led to this unfortunate consequence. The victim's name has been withheld pending notification of kin.
