UPDATE: Suspect in Redwood City Hit-and-Run Collision That Killed Pedestrian Arrested
REDWOOD CITY (CBS SF) -- Police have arrested a suspect in a fatal Redwood City hit-and-run collision early Monday morning, police said.
Redwood City police said officers responded to a report of a traffic collision involving a pedestrian at about 2:24 a.m. on the 1600 block of El Camino Real.
Police found a male victim in the southbound lanes of El Camino with unresponsive and suffering from major injuries. The victim was later pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
A witness told police the suspect vehicle was a white cargo van with major front end damage and the driver being a man in his 40 with a dark complexion, police said.
The witness stated the driver of the vehicle stopped at the scene of the collision to inspect his vehicle before driving away. The witness said the van was headed southbound on El Camino when it hit the pedestrian and then continued on.
The van then made a U-turn at Roosevelt Ave. and headed back northbound on El Camino, stopping at the scene of the collision, where the driver stopped, got out to examine the damage to his vehicle, and then getting back in and driving away headed northbound on El Camino, police said.
Redwood City Detectives obtained video surveillance from a nearby business and were able identify a possible suspect vehicle and driver.
On Monday afternoon at approximately 2:46 p.m., officers located the vehicle travelling northbound on El Camino Real and initiated a traffic stop on it on the 300 block of El Camino Real in San Carlos.
The vehicle had front end damage indicating it had been involved in a recent collision. Police said the damage was also consistent with witness statements and what was depicted on video surveillance.
The driver was identified as Carl Hofstetter. He made admissions regarding his involvement in the collision and was placed under arrest. Hofstetter was booked into the San Mateo County Jail on charges felony hit and run and vehicular homicide.
Anyone with information about the incident was urged to contact Redwood City Police Detective David Denning at 650-780-7141 or Traffic Officer Pete Cang at 650-780-7100 ex. 5021. For those wishing to remain anonymous, messages can be left on the Redwood City Police Department's Tip Line at 650-780-7110.