Press Release: Arrest in Vehicle Pedestrian Hit & Run 6/5/16

On Sunday, June 5, 2016 at approximately 4:35pm, Santa Cruz Police officers responded to a report of a hit and run collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian at Bay Drive and High Street. SCPD Officers and rescue personnel arrived and found a 21 year old UCSC student had been stuck by a passing vehicle. The vehicle fled the scene and did not stop to render assistance to the victim. The victim was treated at a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

Witnesses provided crucial information describing a white sedan that struck the pedestrian and the direction in which the car sped away. SCPD Officers quickly located a white Chevrolet Malibu with front end damage heading eastbound in the area of Mission St. and Chestnut St.

The driver of Chevy Malibu is 33 year old, Juan Castillo from Watsonville. The preliminary investigation indicates that pedestrian was in the crosswalk at the intersection of Bay Drive and High Street. The vehicle was traveling eastbound on High Street when the driver struck the pedestrian.

Juan Castillo was arrested for hit and run and driving without a license. 

The case detailed above is a separate incident not related to the fatal hit and run reported by Santa Cruz CHP on the same day.
On 6-5-16 at approximately 7:15 pm, there was a fatal hit and run collision on southbound Highway 1 south of River St. A motorcycle rider struck a concrete wall, then may have been struck by an unknown vehicle.

Santa Cruz CHP are asking for assistance from the public. Anyone who witnessed the collision or has information about the crash is asked to call the Santa Cruz CHP office at 831-662-0511