San Jose Man Arrested in Fatal Hit-and-Run Near SAP Center

A 33-year-old San Jose man has been arrested in connection with a fatal hit-and-run collision that killed a San Francisco woman earlier this week, police confirmed Wednesday.

The incident occurred around 8 a.m. Monday at the intersection of Santa Clara Street and Cahill Street near the SAP Center. According to police, the suspect was driving a black 2021 Ram pickup truck eastbound on Santa Clara Street when he struck a woman riding an electric scooter in the northbound east crosswalk.

The victim, identified by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office as 52-year-old Monica Violete Ibarra of San Francisco, was transported to a nearby hospital. Despite medical efforts, she died from her injuries.

Police reported that the driver did not stop after the collision. The pickup truck was later located unoccupied. Investigators determined the truck had been an unreported stolen vehicle.

With the assistance of patrol officers, detectives identified the driver as Justin Perez. Warrants were obtained for his arrest and the search of his residence. On Wednesday, Perez was taken into custody in San Jose and booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on charges of hit-and-run and vehicular manslaughter.

According to jail records, Perez is being held on $530,000 bail. The arrest follows what authorities confirmed was the 24th traffic fatality of the year on city streets.

San Jose police have asked anyone with information regarding the case to contact Detective Ryan Leslie of the SJPD Traffic Investigations Unit at 4264@sanjoseca.gov or 408-277-4654. Tips may also be submitted anonymously through Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers at 408-947-7867 or via siliconvalleycrimestoppers.org.