A California police chief has been charged with misdemeanor hit-and-run after allegedly clipping another vehicle and fleeing the scene. San Leandro Chief of Police Angela Averiett has denied the allegations, claiming she did not “knowingly” leave the scene of the collision, which occurred in May 2025.
“Given the minimal nature of the reported damage, a small scratch on the other vehicle side mirror, I had no indication at the time that any contact may have occurred,” Averiett said at a press conference on Wednesday. The chief has been placed on leave as of Wednesday, according to the City of San Leandro.
Prosecutors allege that Averiett collided with another woman’s car while driving an unmarked Jeep squad car on the eastbound Interstate 580. She was later stopped by officers from the California Highway Patrol. At Wednesday’s press conference, the chief acknowledged that she had her police lights on but could not recall whether her siren was also on.
Averiett claimed she had been experiencing “a medical emergency” at the time, requiring her to exit the freeway in a hurry. “Thankfully, the issue ultimately turned out to be a minor, though understandably unsettling, thing,” she said, adding that she was focused on getting off the freeway safely. The chest pains she experienced later subsided.
Averiett is due to be arraigned on June 18, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. While the investigation continues, Assistant Chief of Police Luis Torres will serve as acting police chief until an interim chief is found, according to the City of San Leandro.
