Yesterday turned deadly in Pleasant Hill after a hit-and-run crash left a bicyclist dead and a Concord woman in handcuffs, according to police.
Officers were called to the intersection of Contra Costa and Taylor boulevards around 1:50 AM, where they found a 41-year-old woman riding a bicycle. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver who hit her took off before officers arrived, but investigators quickly linked the collision to a nearby vehicle and a suspect, police said.
Pleasant Hill officers later located the suspected vehicle parked just a few blocks away, with damage that matched a recent collision, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The registered owner, identified as 45-year-old Angelina Solis of Concord, was arrested and booked into county jail on suspicion of felony hit-and-run and vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, the Chronicle reported. Police did not immediately say how they were able to zero in on that particular vehicle.
"The driver of the involved vehicle fled the scene prior to officers' arrival," the Pleasant Hill Police Department said in a statement quoted by KTVU. KTVU reported that the intersection stayed closed for several hours while investigators documented the scene and collected evidence, and that the vehicle, later located in Concord, was described as a dark-colored Mazda SUV. Authorities said the bicyclist's name was being withheld until her family could be notified.
Legal next steps
Solis was booked on suspicion of hit-and-run and vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, both serious felony allegations under state law. Leaving the scene of a crash that results in injury or death is a felony under California Vehicle Code 20001, and vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated is defined in Penal Code 191.5.
Prosecutors with the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office will review the investigative file, including any toxicology results and witness statements, before deciding what formal charges to file. As in any criminal case, the suspect is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Investigation and how to help
The Pleasant Hill Police Department says the investigation is still underway and is asking for the public's help. Anyone who may have seen the collision, has dash-cam footage, or has other information is urged to contact the department's non-emergency line at (925) 288-4600 or reach out through its website. The Pleasant Hill Police site lists contact details and ways to submit tips. Detectives will forward their findings to the District Attorney's Office once their work is complete.
