WATSONVILLE—A Watsonville man was arrested Saturday after fatally striking a man on a bicycle with his vehicle and fleeing the scene, California Highway Patrol Officer Sam Courtney said.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim as Juan Diaz, 25.
Steven Kay, 55, was charged with felony hit-and-run and vehicular manslaughter. He was not in custody on Tuesday, jail records showed.
According to Courtney, officers responded to a call of a bicyclist down on Green Valley Road at Littleway Lane around 1:55am. Diaz was pronounced dead at the scene.
CHP investigators believe that Diaz was riding north on Green Valley Road when he was hit from behind. Kay, the driver, did not remain at the scene, Courtney said.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies found Kay’s vehicle, a 2005 Toyota Matrix, around 3:30am and arrested Kay. Drugs and alcohol are not thought to be involved in the collision.
