Man Arrested For Hit And Run After Injuring Scooter Rider In SMC: Police

SAN MATEO, CA — Officers arrested a Foster City man in connection with a felony hit-and-run that injured a victim on an electric scooter Sunday in San Mateo, police said.

Security footage aided officers in identifying and locating the suspect, Oscar Gomez Florez, 60, at his workplace in San Francisco, police said.

At around 12:48 p.m. on Sunday, San Mateo Police Department officers were called to the area of Monte Diablo Avenue and N. San Mateo Drive after receiving a report of a hit-and-run crash.

A victim riding an electric scooter was struck by a car driven by Florez, police said. The victim, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered a 4-inch laceration to the head. Florez failed to stop and immediately fled the scene, police said.

“Anytime you are riding anything on wheels, you should wear a helmet, regardless of age or requirement. It is for your own safety. No one ever expects to be involved in a collision, but nonetheless, helmets can lessen the severity of injuries if involved in one,” police said.

Investigators searched the neighborhood for security footage, which provided a description of the car and its direction of travel, as well as a license plate number.

This information identified the registered owner as Florez, a resident of Foster City.

Detectives said they learned that he worked at San Francisco International Airport. An SMPD officer was able to locate the car parked in an employee lot at the airport. With assistance from the San Francisco Police Department Airport Bureau, officers located Florez at work, police said.

Florez was arrested for felony hit-and-run resulting in injury. He was transported and booked into the San Mateo County Jail.

“As less people are using their cars as a means of transportation, that means more foot and bike traffic. So, as drivers, we need to remember to stop, look left, look right, and look left again before proceeding.”