San Leandro police chief denies hit-and-run, says she suffered medical emergency

SAN LEANDRO, Calif. - The San Leandro police chief charged with a hit-and-run after allegedly sideswiping a car, has been placed on administrative leave. The embattled chief on Wednesday denied the allegations.

Allegations and incident details

What we know:

Chief Angela Averiett is accused of clipping a woman’s car in May 2025 while driving a city-owned, unmarked Jeep Grand Cherokee with police lights on along the eastbound Interstate 580 center median near Interstate 680 in Dublin. At a news conference on Wednesday, Averiett said she could not recall whether her sirens were on.

Averiett said she was unaware that any collision occurred.

"I want to be clear that I did not knowingly leave the scene of a collision," she said.

On Tuesday, Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson charged Averiett with misdemeanor hit-and-run.

Averiett doubled down, and she did not flee the scene of a crash.

"Given the minimal nature of the reported damage — a small scratch on the other vehicle’s side mirror — I had no indication at the time that any contact may have occurred," she said.

The other driver said the collision was loud and that, instead of stopping, the Jeep’s emergency lights turned off within seconds, and the vehicle left.

Chief says she suffered medical emergency

What they're saying:

Averiett later told the California Highway Patrol she did not know a crash had happened and did not hear any noise. She said she had been returning from a City Council meeting and was rushing home because of chest pains. When asked if she sought medical attention, she said the pain subsided.

"I turned on my emergency lights because I was experiencing a medical emergency and I drove into the center median," Averiett said Wednesday. She declined to disclose details, calling it an ongoing medical issue.

As for why she was driving in the center median, she said: "I was experiencing an emergency at the time, and the other shoulder was not available to me."

She said she remains committed to serving San Leandro.

"My commitment to this organization has never wavered. My commitment to accountability and integrity has never wavered, and it will not waver," she said.

CHP investigation

Dig deeper:

Averiett said the CHP chose not to cite her after its investigation.

"I was fully investigated by the California Highway Patrol, and during that investigation, the CHP determined that I had not committed a hit-and-run," she said. "I know that I did not commit a hit-and-run. I did not leave the scene of a collision."

She added that there was only a minor scratch on the other driver's mirror.

Jones Dickson said her office determined a crime had actually occurred.

"We found there was enough information there to elevate this to a charging of the case," she said.

At a separate news conference on Wednesday, Jones Dickson said it was unusual that the CHP did not submit the case for review. She said her office learned about the incident through a local news report.

"I don’t think the CHP did anything wrong. I just think that based upon the information they had in front of them, they didn’t think it bubbled to a point where it should come to us," she said.

Chief's background

Averiett began her career as an Alameda County sheriff’s deputy, later serving as a lieutenant with Hayward police and deputy chief at BART police before becoming chief in Los Altos.

She was named San Leandro police chief in 2024, taking over a department that had been left demoralized after the previous chief’s departure. Since January, she has served as president of the Alameda County Chiefs of Police and Sheriff's Association.

Some San Leandro residents are now questioning her leadership.

"You’re a cop. You should be aware if you’ve collided with somebody," said resident Kurt Koller. "I would want to see some type of consequences."

The district attorney described the case as a "minor misdemeanor," not "the crime of the century."

What's next:

If convicted, Averiett could face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Assistant Chief Luis Torres will serve as acting chief while the city determines next steps.

San LeandroCrime and Public Safety