San Miguel woman guilty of hit and run, insurance fraud
March 17, 2023
Melissa Brewer
By KAREN VELIE
A San Luis Obispo County Jury convicted a 46-year-old San Miguel woman on Thursday for felony hit and run causing injury, four felony counts of insurance fraud and one misdemeanor count of reckless driving.
On March 23, 2021, a white Hyundai Veloster was headed southbound on Highway 101 near Avila Beach Drive when it struck a motorcyclist. The collision sent the motorcyclist down onto the highway pavement with a badly broken ankle.
While many people stopped to help the motorcyclist, the driver of the Veloster sped away.
On March 28, 2021, Melissa Brewer filed a claim with her insurance company. Brewer reported that her white Hyundai Veloster had been in a single-vehicle, no passenger, no injury collision in which she crashed into a guardrail. She also claimed she was receiving medical attention related to the collision.
The California Highway Patrol conducted a thorough search of Velosters registered in San Luis Obispo County and located Melissa Brewer’s Veloster in a repair shop. CHP investigators determined Brewer’s Veloster was the car that crashed into the motorcycle.
“Even when someone does everything they can to avoid arrest and prosecution, our local law enforcement agencies go to great lengths to hold offenders accountable for their crimes,” said District Attorney Dan Dow. “I am proud of the outstanding investigative work of the California Highway Patrol, our DA Bureau of Investigations, and each of the good Samaritans in our community who assisted in solving this case.”
Brewer is scheduled for sentencing on April 14. She faces a maximum sentence of six years and eight months in prison.
The comments below represent the opinion of the writer and do not represent the views or policies of CalCoastNews.com. Please address the Policies, events and arguments, not the person. Constructive debate is good; mockery, taunting, and name calling is not. Comment Guidelines