Santa Rosa police arrest suspect in fatal hit-and-run

A driver suspected of not stopping after striking and killing a Santa Rosa pedestrian was arrested Monday by Santa Rosa police.

Officers Monday afternoon booked Brett St. John into the Sonoma County Jail on $100,000 bail on suspicion of felony hit-and-run and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.

They suspect the 28-year-old Sebastopol man was speeding when he struck Barbara Jones, 56, as she crossed South Wright Road about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. St. John didn’t stop, and waited about 20 minutes to call police and return to the crash site, according to Sgt. Summer Black.

Several people called 911 to report the hit-and-run near Price Avenue and alerted officers.

New information obtained in the last two days, including surveillance video, showed speed was a factor, Black said. The speed limit on the rural two-lane road is 40 mph. How fast the vehicle was moving still was being calculated, Black said.

Jones had gotten off a public bus at a nearby stop and was walking home when she was killed, according to a family member.

St. John initially told officers he hadn’t seen the woman, according to police.

The collision remained under investigation. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Officer Josh Kertianis at 707-543-3636.