Maribel Matias Killed in Oakland Hit-and-Run Accident
The 24-year-old mother was struck by a fleeing vehicle outside Mt. Tabor Baptist Church.
Maribel Matias, 24, was killed in a hit-and-run crash near 73rd and Garfield avenues in Oakland, California, on Aug. 8, according to the Oakland Police Department.
Surveillance footage showed two vehicles approaching the area outside Mt. Tabor Baptist Church, directly across from the police department's Eastmont Substation. One of the cars struck Matias as she stood in the road and fled the scene without stopping. Matias leaves behind a 7-year-old daughter.
The driver remains at large.
Hit-and-run crashes remain a serious issue in California, where they accounted for 10.5% of fatal accidents between 2017 and 2023. Investigators have not released a description of the suspect vehicle.
Police are urging anyone with information to come forward as the investigation continues.
How common are fatal hit-and-run crashes in Oakland?
While investigators work to identify the driver who fled the scene on 73rd Avenue, understanding the frequency of these incidents provides important context.
Candice Bond, managing partner at Bond Legal, said, "Unidentified fleeing motorists create serious obstacles for police investigations seeking to locate drivers responsible for catastrophic collisions. Vehicle descriptions remain vague, registration information unavailable, and investigative efforts extend over months."
"An attorney works alongside law enforcement to gather witness statements and systematically review electronic data, ensuring a thorough investigation as affected families await accountability and compensation," added Bond, who is also a national legal analyst for Accident News.
What happens next for the victim's family?
Even when a driver is not immediately apprehended, legal avenues such as uninsured drivers coverage may provide a path for financial recovery to help secure the child's future.
California wrongful death statute
Under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 377.60, surviving family members may file a wrongful death action. California applies pure comparative fault. The statute of limitations is 2 years from the date of death.
Recoverable damages may include loss of financial support, loss of companionship, funeral expenses, and the decedent's pre-death pain and suffering.
"Surveillance footage from neighboring businesses and traffic cameras provides crucial visual evidence identifying fleeing vehicles following fatal hit-and-run crashes," said Stefano Formica, of counsel at Bond Legal.
"Legal counsel issue urgent preservation demands to property owners, securing critical visual evidence while guiding surviving relatives through complex uninsured motorist coverage claims and financial relief."