DUI driver hits mother walking children to Arroyo Grande school

October 20, 2021

By KAREN VELIE

An intoxicated man, with a history of driving under the influence, crashed into a woman walking her two children to Harloe Elementary in Arroyo Grande on Tuesday morning.

Shortly after 8 a.m., 35-year-old Michael Kiss allegedly crashed into a woman walking in a crosswalk at the intersection of S. Halcyon Road and Sandlewood Avenue. Kiss then fled the scene, but was stopped by officers responding to reports of the hit and run, police said.

First responders transported the woman, who suffered moderate injuries, to a local hospital. Her children were not injured.

Following Kiss’ arrest, officers searched his vehicle and found a loaded firearm, drugs, and drug paraphernalia, police said.

Officers booked Kiss into the San Luis Obispo County Jail on charges of felony DUI with injury, felony child endangerment, felony hit and run with injury, felony carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, six counts of felony possession of ammunition, felony warrants, possession of controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bail is set at $205,000.

Kiss, a Santa Maria resident, has a long criminal history, including counts of driving under the influence, possession of narcotics, burglary, forgery and driving with a suspended license.