Watsonville man arrested in alleged hit-and-run with cyclist

WATSONVILLE >> A Watsonville driver is under arrest after allegedly being involved in a hit-and-run crash that left a 25-yearold cyclist dead over the weekend.

According to the California Highway Patrol, Steven Kay, 55, allegedly struck the cyclist from behind while he was traveling northbound on Green Valley Road. The cyclist, whose identity was not immediately available Monday, died from his injuries at the scene.

Authorities were initially called shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday for a reported cyclist down at Green Valley Road at Littleway Lane, according to a CHP media release. Evidence at the scene showed that a vehicle had struck the cyclist from behind, though no vehicle remained at the scene, according to the release. By 3:30 a.m. that day, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office deputies located a 2005 Toyota Matrix believed to be involved in the collision. A CHP investigating officer contacted Kay, the vehicle’s registered owner, and subsequently connected him to the fatality, according to the release.

The cause of the collision remained under investigation Monday, though alcohol and/or drugs were not believed to be contributing factors, according to the CHP.

Kay was arrested on suspicion of felony hit and run and vehicular manslaughter. He was not listed as Santa Cruz County Jail inmate as of Monday.

According to Santa Cruz County court records, Kay has racked up several vehicle-related convictions since at least 2003, primarily including infractions for speeding and operating a vehicle as an unlicensed driver.

Also among Kay’s cases is a March 6, 2016, arrest for alleged misdemeanorlevel hit-and-run and unlicensed driving — a case dismissed two months later. Then, a new traffic violation case involving an alleged unlicensed driver infraction was filed, tied to that same earlier May 27, 2016 dismissal date. That traffic violation case remained active Monday, according to court records, its disposition described only as “bail forfeiture” and the infraction sent to collections.