Mercedes Perez, 22, Identified as Santa Barbara Woman Killed in Mission Street Hit-and-Run

The Mission Street corridor, where Santa Barbara's traffic funnels toward the Highway 101 on-ramps, has long been one of the busiest and most dangerous stretches of road in the city. It's where, just after 10 p.m. on a Friday night, 22-year-old Mercedes Perez was struck and killed while crossing Mission Street in a crosswalk — and where the driver who hit her, according to police, drove on without stopping.

Perez's identity was confirmed by her family this week, days after the October 9 collision, the Santa Barbara Independent reported. She was 22, a Santa Barbara local, and, in the words of her family, a young woman "with so many dreams, plans, and beautiful moments still ahead of her."

A Traffic Stop That Turned Tragic

The events leading up to Perez's death began minutes earlier and about ten blocks away, on West Carrillo Street. A Santa Barbara Police officer spotted a white Mercedes-Benz C43 being driven recklessly and attempted to pull the car over. The driver refused to stop, fleeing "at a high rate of speed" toward Highway 101, according to police. The officer did not pursue.

Minutes later, the same officer learned of the collision on Mission Street at the northbound 101 on-ramp — the same vehicle, the same driver. The officer arrived first on scene and immediately began life-saving measures. AMR paramedics transported Perez to Cottage Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.

Later that night, officers located the Mercedes-Benz parked in Santa Barbara. They arrested 45-year-old Leticia Parra De Gastelum, identified in jail records as a housekeeper, and booked her into Santa Barbara County's Main Jail on $50,000 bail. As of Thursday, October 15, jail records showed she was no longer in custody.

California Highway Patrol Officer Jonathan Gutierrez confirmed that drugs and alcohol were not involved in the incident. Because the collision occurred at the highway on-ramp, CHP — not Santa Barbara police — is leading the investigation. Investigators are asking anyone with information about the case to contact Officer Arevalo at CHP's Santa Barbara Area Office, (805) 770-4800.

A Family Left to Grieve

For Perez's family, the days since have been about processing what her uncle, Alfredo Perez, described in a GoFundMe post as "a loss that has changed our lives forever."

"Mercedes was so young and had so many dreams, plans, and beautiful moments still ahead of her," Alfredo Perez wrote. "Her unexpected passing has left a deep void in our lives and a pain that is difficult to put into words."

The family has launched a fundraising campaign to help cover funeral costs — an expense no family plans for when their loved one is 22. The goal, they wrote, is to "say goodbye to her with the love, respect, and dignity she deserves."

"From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for every contribution, every message, every prayer, and every act of kindness," Alfredo Perez wrote. "During this painful time, the love and support of those around us give us strength as we try to navigate this unimaginable loss."

For a city of Santa Barbara's size, a loss like this ripples outward quickly. Perez was someone's niece, someone's neighbor, a young woman walking home on an ordinary Friday night in the crosswalk, where she was supposed to be safe.

A Familiar Danger on Mission Street

The intersection where Perez was killed sits at a choke point familiar to anyone who drives, bikes, or walks on Santa Barbara's Westside. Mission Street carries heavy through-traffic toward the 101 on- and off-ramps, and the crossing there requires pedestrians to navigate multiple lanes of vehicles — some accelerating onto the freeway, others exiting it — often at night and often at speed.

Friday's collision carried echoes of other tragedies on the corridor. Mission Street and its neighboring State Street crossings have seen repeated pedestrian deaths and serious injuries over the years, and city traffic-safety advocates have pushed for redesigns of freeway-adjacent crossings, better lighting, and slower ramp traffic. The fact that Perez was struck in a marked crosswalk — and that the driver had reportedly fled a police stop moments before — will likely intensify questions about enforcement and roadway design in the area.

The case also highlights the split-second decisions that shape these incidents: an officer who chose not to initiate a high-speed pursuit through city streets, only to arrive first at the scene of the crash that followed. Santa Barbara Police, like many departments, restricts vehicle pursuits due to the danger they pose to the public — a policy that in this case could not prevent the driver from reaching Mission Street minutes later.

What Comes Next

As of Thursday, Leticia Parra De Gastelum was no longer in custody, according to jail records, and the case remained under active investigation by CHP. It remains unclear what charges, if any, have been filed. Officials have not said whether the vehicle was registered to Gastelum or released additional details about the moments before impact, beyond confirming that Perez was in the crosswalk and that impairment was not a factor.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or has information is urged to call CHP's Santa Barbara Area Office at (805) 770-4800 and ask for Officer Arevalo.

Meanwhile, a family in Santa Barbara is planning a funeral instead of celebrating a young woman's future. Those who wish to support them can donate through the family's official GoFundMe page, organized by Alfredo Perez.

Mercedes Perez was 22 years old. She was crossing the street, in the crosswalk, ten blocks from where her evening was supposed to end. If you know something that can help CHP piece together what happened, make the call.