A 70-year-old Santa Barbara man has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run accident that seriously injured a pedestrian last week at State Street and Calle Palo Colorado, according to the Santa Barbara Police Department.
Salvador Torres Gomez was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on Tuesday on suspicion of felony hit-and-run, failure to stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk, passing a vehicle that was stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk, and injuring a pedestrian after failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, according to police Sgt. Mike McGrew.
Gomez’s bail was set at $50,000.
The victim — a 41-year-old Santa Barbara woman — was walking northbound in the crosswalk across State Street shortly before 10 a.m. on April 17 when a vehicle traveling eastbound in the No. 2 lane stopped to allow her to cross, according to police.
However, a pickup truck in the eastbound No. 1 lane failed to stop and struck the woman, police said.
Gomez was identified as a possible suspect in this case by Sgt. Jill Beecher, who ran several combinations of a partial license plate that was obtained from the suspect vehicle at the scene of the crime, McGrew said.
Investigators contacted Gomez, who at first denied any involvement but later confessed to the crime, McGrew said.
Gomez was subsequently identified as the driver in the hit-and-run by a witness during a photographic lineup, McGrew said, adding that the suspect vehicle — a GMC truck — was located and physical evidence was found on the vehicle linking it to this crime.
The victim, whose name has not been released, remains hospitalized, McGrew said.
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.