The driver involved in a traffic collision in February, which left a UC Berkeley researcher severely injured, surrendered himself to Dublin police officers Monday morning.
Berwick Haynes — a 47-year-old male from Sunnyvale, California — was arrested at the Santa Rita Jail where he turned himself in after a warrant was placed for his arrest in early May. Haynes was accused of driving under the influence when he collided with a cyclist on the corner of Fulton Street and Bancroft Way.
The cyclist, Megan Schwarzman, a scientist at the Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry, suffered life-threatening injuries after the collision. She said in an email that her recovery has been “making great progress” and that she hopes to return to work sometime in June.
The city of Berkeley has since opened a new Fulton Street bicycle lane, following a proposal by Bike East Bay — an advocacy group for cycling safety — urging the city to take immediate action to increase cycling safety. The proposal was made in response to the collision and received unanimous support from City Council.
Haynes was originally arrested the day of the collision but was released because of a lack of evidence, according to Berkeley Police Department spokesperson Byron White. White said a new warrant was later posted in early May by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office.
According to White, BPD has concluded its investigation of the collision and has handed the case off to the district attorney’s office.
“In terms of the Berkeley Police Department’s involvement, we handed the case back in February and submitted it to the court system for review, prosecution and charging, but beyond that, our part in the matter is complete,” White said.
Haynes’ court arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday morning.