GOLETA A 20-year-old man was arrested and is facing an involuntary vehicular manslaughter charge in connection with a fatal hit-and-run collision that occurred Sunday night in Goleta, authorities said.
At approximately 9:56 p.m. April 26, deputies responded to the area of Calle Real and Violet Lane on a report of a bicyclist that had been hit by a vehicle. The victim and suspect were traveling east on Calle Real when the cyclist was struck. The suspect, later identified as Nicholas Baker, of Goleta, left the area prior to deputies’ arrival and did not call for help or render aid to the victim, who was pronounced dead prior to authorities arriving, said Raquel Zick, spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputies located Mr. Baker’s vehicle in the 900 block of Camino Del Sur in Isla Vista around 10:35 p.m. Sunday. Mr. Baker was taken into custody on suspicion of hit-and-run causing injury or death, involuntary vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence causing injury — all felony charges. He was booked into the Main Jail with a bail of $1 million.
The victim has been identified as 59-year-old Katherine Stewart Peden, of Goleta, Ms. Zick said.
While authorities were investigating the collision, a section of Calle Real was closed to traffic. At 10:24 p.m. Sunday, a patrol car that was parked at the west end of the scene was struck by another vehicle. The vehicle was not occupied when it was hit and no deputies were injured.
The California Highway Patrol was requested and responded to investigate the second collision, allowing deputies to continue their investigation.
