Isaac Vega (left) was arrested Wednesday for the hit-and-run last Saturday that left Drew Daly (right) with a critical brain injury

Police have arrested Montecito resident Isaac Vega for the hit-and-run collision early Saturday morning that left 23-year-old Drew Daly with life-threatening injuries. At the time of the incident, Vega, 21, was out on bail for a previous robbery arrest.

Police spokesperson Sgt. Riley Harwood said Vega was driving a white 1999 Honda CRV westbound on the 300 block of W. Cabrillo Boulevard at around 2:30 a.m. when he struck Daly, who was crossing the street on foot southbound. Vega then fled the scene. “[The] investigation indicates that Daly remained on the side of the street, gravely injured, for approximately two hours before being discovered by a passerby,” Harwood said in a prepared statement.

At first unable to identify the car or the driver involved in the collision, police issued a public plea Saturday afternoon for information to help in their investigation. “The public’s assistance has been instrumental in this case, enabling SBPD investigators to identify Vega and ultimately arrest him,” said Harwood. He was taken into custody Wednesday at 5 p.m. on the 100 block of Harbor Way. Vega’s CRV was located at his residence and impounded. Vega has been booked in County Jail on numerous felony charges with a bail amount of $75,000.

Drew Daly remains in critical condition in a coma at Cottage Hospital. His older sister, Leah, said Wednesday that he sustained a significant brain injury. Drew is a student at Santa Barbara City College, where he’s studying public health. He also works at Bacara Resort & Spa in Goleta. Leah said she and her family believe Drew was alone when he was hit. She speculated he might have been out for a late-night walk to clear his head, as he had been preoccupied by finals and wasn’t sleeping well. Still, she said, “The whole thing is very much a mystery at this point. We may never really know what happened.”

Harwood said the investigation remains ongoing. Police are still trying to determine Vega’s movements before and after the collision. Anyone with information is asked to call investigators at 897-2322.

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