Crime & Safety
A 21-Year-Old Live Oak Man Arrested for Hit and Run of Zachary Parke
Tips from the public led to the arrest of Elliot Sterling Dess, who works in a parts warehouse.
After receiving many tips from people who spotted a damaged 1998 burgundy Nissan Maxima, the California Highway Patrol arrested a 21-year-old Live Oak man for felony hit and run and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter in the death of 25-year-old bicyclist Zachary Parke on June 7.
Elliott S. Dess, of 1215 El Dorado Ave. turned himself into the Highway Patrol office at 9 a.m. Friday and was taken to Santa Cruz County Jail on a bond of $100,000.
"We have been working really hard to make sure we have everything," said Officer Sarah Jackson. "There was significant damage to the vehicle. We recovered it and none of the damage was repaired."
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Parke was riding along Empire Grade on the UCSC campus after midnight June 7, heading from a friend's house to his mother's home on Branciforte when he was struck and killed. His body was found at 8 a.m. by a passing cyclist.
The bicycle lane at that point is 8-feet wide, said Officer Jackson, and the damage was so great to the car that there was no way a driver wouldn't know he had struck someone.
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She said there was also no evidence that Parke was riding with lights on his bicycle, as required by law.
There is a memorial ride Saturday at 5 p.m. for Parke, who was a professional cyclist for Clutch Couriers. Riders will gather at the Town Clock in downtown Santa Cruz and ride up to the spot where he was killed.
If convicted, Dess could face as much as four years in prison and a $10,000 fine, as well as restitution to the family. If it were proven that he was under the influence, state law would have added another five years to his possible sentence.
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