Suspected Drunk Driver Hits, Kills Elderly Pedestrian in Santa Cruz

A man was arrested Thursday after a pedestrian was struck and killed in Santa Cruz.

Robert Wright, 24, of Santa Cruz, was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI and felony vehicular manslaughter, police said.

Police on Thursday responded at 7:04 p.m. to the area of West Cliff Drive and Bay Street in reference to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle.

Police said Wright’s vehicle was traveling west on West Cliff Drive and struck a pedestrian who was walking south in a marked crosswalk.

The victim was walking with his wife when he was hit. His wife was not hit by the vehicle or injured.

After hitting the victim, Wright pulled over around the corner on Bay Street and was physically restrained and returned to the scene by a witness to the crash, police said.

The 74-year-old victim was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Wright, who was not injured during the incident, was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail on $100,000 bail.

The incident closed West Cliff Drive between Bay and Beach streets for about five hours as police processed the scene.

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--Bay City News

--Image via Shuuterstock

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