Cyclist Killed In Weekend Hit-and-Run Near Watsonville Identified

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA – A bicyclist struck and killed by a distracted driver in a hit-and-run collision near Watsonville on Sunday night has been identified as 34-year-old Scott Brunton of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County sheriff's officials said.

The driver, 29-year-old Violeta Cervante of Watsonville, was on westbound Freedom Boulevard near Scurich Lane around 8:40 p.m. when she saw something on her phone and briefly looked down, California Highway Patrol officials said.

When Cervante's attention returned to the road, she saw Brunton and crashed into the back of his bicycle, according to the CHP.

Brunton was ejected from his bicycle and left with fatal injuries, CHP officials said.

Cervante continued heading west in a 2007 Chrysler and was quickly found through a tip made to dispatch, according to the CHP.

Officers conducted an enforcement stop on the woman and arrested her, CHP officials said.

Cervante was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail on suspicion of DUI, probation violation, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, hit-and-run resulting in death or injury and driving on a suspended license
for drunken driving, according to online jail records.

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