Nickolaus Messina Arrested After Fatal Berkeley Hit-and-Run: 64-Year-Old Woman Dies

Nickolaus Messina, 66, of Oakland, was arrested after a fatal pedestrian hit-and-run in Berkeley, California. Police say a 64-year-old woman died after being struck near Ashby Avenue and Regent Street.

Fatal Hit-and-Run Reported in Berkeley, California

A 64-year-old woman died after being struck by a vehicle that fled the scene in Berkeley, California, on the evening of November 3, 2026. The collision occurred at approximately 6:38 p.m. near Ashby Avenue and Regent Street, where a westbound vehicle hit the pedestrian before continuing away.

Berkeley police and emergency personnel responded to the scene. The woman was transported by the Berkeley Fire Department to a local trauma centre, but she later died from her injuries. Authorities had not released her identity in their initial public statement.

How Police Located the Suspected Driver

A witness helped investigators identify the vehicle by reporting the registration plate of a silver Kia Soul spotted a few blocks from the collision. Police entered the registration information into the department’s automated license plate reader system.

At approximately 9:02 p.m., the system generated an alert showing that the Kia had entered Interstate 80 through the Gilman Street on-ramp. Officers located the vehicle travelling toward San Rafael, just beyond the Interstate 580 and Interstate 80 split, and stopped it.

Nickolaus Messina Arrested on Suspicion of DUI and Vehicular Manslaughter

Berkeley police identified the driver as Nickolaus Messina, 66, of Oakland. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, DUI-related injury offences, hit-and-run and gross vehicular manslaughter.

The listed suspected offences included driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher. These are allegations, not proof of guilt. The criminal proceedings will determine whether the charges are established.

Police credited the witness’s information and the license plate reader alert with helping officers locate the vehicle within hours. Finding the driver relatively soon after the collision also allowed investigators to examine possible impairment close to the time of the incident.

Victim’s Identity Remains Unreleased

The woman who died was identified publicly only as a 64-year-old pedestrian in the police announcement. Her name and further personal details had not been released in the reports reviewed.

Berkeley police expressed condolences to her family and loved ones. The department’s statement also highlighted the importance of community members providing information that can assist investigations.

Key Details

Disclaimer

The Berkeley Police Department’s announcement confirms the fatal pedestrian collision and Messina’s arrest. However, an arrest on suspicion of an offence does not establish guilt. The pedestrian’s identity had not been publicly released in the official statement reviewed. The headline supplied with the original article incorrectly associates Nickolaus Messina’s name with the deceased woman; he was identified as the suspected driver.