Man Caught, Arrested 9 Months After Peninsula Hit-And-Run: Cops

SAN MATEO, CA — A man was arrested early Thursday morning, more than nine months after he allegedly struck and seriously injured a woman walking her dog in San Mateo last March, police said. The 59-year-old victim was hit in the area of Edinburgh Street on the evening of March 31.

A citizen had found the dog alone and returned it to its home, unaware that the victim was unaccounted for. Her family then went out and found her alone and seriously injured from a collision with a vehicle, police said.

The woman was taken to a hospital with serious injuries and is continuing to recover.

After several months of investigations and the inspection of more than 50 possible suspect vehicles, officers were eventually able to locate the vehicle allegedly involved as well as evidence of attempts to conceal the crime, police said.

Thomas Pagnotta, 44, of San Mateo, was arrested after officers executed a search warrant at his home in the 800 block of North Delaware Street early this morning. He has since been booked into San Mateo County Jail on suspicion of felony hit-and-run.

— By Bay City News Service / Image via Shutterstock