UC Santa Cruz Student Tragically Passes Away From Halloween Weekend Hit-and-Run Injuries

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA – A 20-year-old woman who suffered critical injuries after she was struck by a car during a hit-and-run last week in Santa Cruz died from her injuries Saturday, according to police.

The victim has been identified as University of California at Santa Cruz student Alexandria Arceneaux, police said.

Arceneaux had been at the hospitalized since the crash, which occurred on Oct. 30.

"Alexandria's family is from Los Angeles and has been by her side at the hospital since the collision," police said.

Around 1:55 a.m. officers responded to a report of a crash involving a pedestrian on southbound state Highway 1, between River and Mission streets, according to police.

The victim, later identified as Arceneaux, was crossing Highway 1 and was not in the crosswalk when a vehicle struck her. The vehicle then fled without stopping, police said.

Arceneaux had been walking home from a Halloween party on River Street with friends. She was immediately taken to a hospital following the crash.

Arceneaux’s mother, Gina Williams, told the Santa Cruz Sentinel that her daughter was walking with friends when she was struck. Arceneaux was in her junior year at UC Santa Cruz and studied theater arts, according to the Sentinel. Last spring, she was included on the Dean's Honors List.

Police are continuing to seek the vehicle that fled. The suspect vehicle is described as a 2010-2012 silver Honda CRV, which may have damage to the passenger side front bumper, according to police.

Police are encouraging local auto repair shops to help with identifying the suspect vehicle by reporting vehicles that match the description and or have damage that looks unusual.

"Someone in our community knows that Honda CRV, and the driver who would have traveled on Highway 1 around 1:55 a.m. on the day before Halloween," police said.

"Detectives are encouraging auto repair shops in the surrounding area to assist with identifying a hit-and-run damaged 2010-2012 Silver Honda CRV," the agency said. "If you operate an auto body shop and see damage that looks unusual or is suspect, call the police."

Anyone with information about the vehicle is asked to contact Santa Cruz police at (831) 420-5820.

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--Bay City News and City News contributed to this report/Images via SCPD