Suspect Arrested In Hit-and-Run Crash That Severely Injured Motorcyclist In San Rafael
SAN RAFAEL (CBS SF) -- A 47-year-old Novato man suspected of felony hit-and-run in a collision Saturday that left a motorcyclist in critical condition was arrested Wednesday, San Rafael police said.
Omar Alexander Diaz-Uribe is suspected of being the driver of a white Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup truck that made a right turn from a middle lane on Second Street at Hetherton Street in front of a motorcycle to his right that was going straight, according to the account from police.
"The right front corner of the suspect vehicle collided with the left side of the motorcyclist," causing the rider to lose control, police said. The rider was thrown from the motorcycle when it collided with a steel safety barrier at the southeast corner of the intersection.
The pickup then fled, police said.
The rider has been hospitalized with injuries considered serious but non-life-threatening, police said.
Officers from the San Rafael Police Department's Major Accident Investigation Team used witness descriptions and video from surveillance cameras in the area to track the movement of the pickup truck before and after the collision and determine a partial license plate.
"It was discovered that one of the potential vehicles had been previously stopped by an SRPD officer" and that body-worn camera footage of the traffic stop was available, police said.
The pickup truck in that stop was located in Sausalito and to have matching body damage, police said.
"Additional video surveillance was located that helped confirm the license plate and provided a view of the driver," police said.
When officers returned to Sausalito and contacted Diaz-Uribe, he acknowledged involvement in the collision and was arrested.
Diaz-Uribe was booked into the Marin County Jail for felony injury hit-and-run, being an unlicensed driver, no insurance, and making an improper turn at an intersection.
The case has been forwarded to the Marin County District Attorney's Office for prosecution.
Anyone with information about the collision is asked to call San Rafael Police at (415) 485-3000. Tips can also be made online at srpd.org/tips.
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