Oregon woman accused of hit-and-run that killed SLO bicyclist makes first court appearance
The Oregon woman accused of a hit-and-run in San Luis Obispo that killed one cyclist and injured another made her first court appearance Wednesday morning.
Vanessa Rose Noblitt, 44, who was arrested in Oregon on Dec. 19, is accused of hitting 74-year-old Martin Suits and 87-year-old Saul Goldberg, both of Avila Beach, while the two were riding electric bicycles near the cemetery on South Higuera Street on July 23.
Noblitt allegedly sideswiped the first bike, hit the second and then fled the scene.
Both men were wearing helmets and were thrown to the ground, police said at the time. Suits survived after sustaining moderate injuries. Goldberg died days later in the hospital.
Noblitt allegedly struck a parked car in a mobile home community minutes after the fatal crash near the cemetery, police said at the time of her arrest.
The San Luis Obispo Police Department investigated the two crashes as related. After finding evidence linking Noblitt to the fatal crash, police said, the agency served search warrants at Noblitt’s Bend, Oregon, home and seized her vehicle in August.
The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office charged Noblitt with vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated without gross negligence, DUI causing injury, DUI with blood alcohol content above .08 and property damage hit-and-run.
The charges carry several sentencing enhancements, including inflicting great bodily injury, injuring multiple victims and having a blood alcohol content of .15 or higher.
Noblitt’s arraignment was scheduled to take place on Jan. 22, when she is expected to enter a plea. Her bail will remain at $160,000, San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Rita Federman ruled.
Noblitt was still in San Luis Obispo County Jail custody as of Wednesday morning.
