Berkeley Police have arrested the owner of the car which was involved in a hit-and-run collision with two cyclists on Tunnel Road in Berkeley on the afternoon of April 25.
Michael Patrick Medaglia, 43, of Oakland, was arrested at the Jack London Inn in Oakland late this afternoon after he attempted to shift blame for his crime by reporting that his vehicle had been stolen after Wednesday’s hit-and-run incident.
Medaglia was arrested on suspicion of possession of heroin, felon in possession of ammunition, violation of probation, and felony hit-and-run, according to BPD. He was taken into custody without incident. Medaglia’s misdemeanor probation violation stems from an August 2010 case for a violation of PC 653(k), possession of a switchblade.
On April 25, after the hit-and-run incident, Medaglia reported to the Oakland Police Department that his vehicle had been stolen. A Berkeley Police alert was placed on the vehicle. This morning, the Oakland Police located the reportedly stolen vehicle and advised Berkeley Police of the recovery. Berkeley Police Crime Scene Unit personnel examined the vehicle, identified Medaglia’s probable place of residence and made the arrest there.
Investigators continue to seek witnesses and additional evidence in the hit-and-run investigation. Anyone having any information is encouraged to contact the Berkeley Police Department at (510) 981-5900.
The collision was captured on video by one of the cyclists who had a camera mounted on his bike. The video has been viewed more than 65,000 times on YouTube where it has also generated over 360 comments to date. It has also been picked up by many media outlets.
Related:
Video: Two cyclists struck by hit-and-run driver on Tunnel Road [04.27.12]