Woman Killed in Hit-and-Run Crash in Berkeley; Suspect Arrested

Fatal Pedestrian Accident at Ashby Avenue and Regent Street

BERKELEY, Calif. (Nov. 4, 2026) — A driver who struck and killed a 64-year-old woman Tuesday night at Ashby Avenue and Regent Street in Berkeley was arrested hours after the suspect fled the scene.

The 66-year-old driver, identified as Nikolaus Messina of Oakland, was westbound in a silver Kia Soul when he reportedly struck the pedestrian around 6:38 p.m. on Nov. 3rd at the Berkeley intersection and then failed to stop.

Meanwhile, paramedics and police responded and located the severely injured woman in the roadway. She was transported to a trauma center by Berkeley Fire Department crews, but she did not survive.

Detectives working on the case spoke with a witness who gave them a description of the vehicle and its license plate number.

Police entered the plate number into the department’s automated license plate reader system and by 9:02 p.m. the system alerted them that the vehicle had entered the I-80 from the Gilman Street on-ramp.

As the vehicle headed toward San Rafael, police pulled over the driver and detained the person. Subsequently, the driver was arrested on multiple charges including DUI with a blood alcohol level of 0.08% or more, DUI causing injury, hit-and-run causing injury, and gross vehicular manslaughter.

Messina was booked at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin and is being held on $380,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned in court on Friday, Nov. 6, 2026.

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When it matters most, trust Attorney James Johnson at Johnson Attorneys Group. We are a personal injury law firm serving clients who have been injured throughout California due to negligent motorists. If you were hurt in this collision, call 1-(800) 208-3538. We will request the police report, and the attorney will discuss your options. You are under no obligation to hire us, and there is no cost unless we win your case. Our personal injury law firm is a proud, longtime supporter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).