Woman accused of hit-and-run that critically injured Dublin man

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Jun 24, 2009 | by Sophia Kazmi

DUBLIN -- The woman accused of striking a popular Safeway clerk with her car and leaving him unconscious in the street has entered a not guilty plea to a hit-and-run charge.

Saraswathi Karumuri, 33, of Dublin appeared in court Monday to answer to the felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident that caused serious injury or death. Out of custody on $20,000 bail, she will return to court July 7.

Police say Karumuri struck Barry Lim on June 14 with her black 2008 Honda Accord on Glynnis Rose Street and then fled the scene. Lim, 49, had severe head trauma and was taken to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley where he was last reported to be in critical condition.

Lim, who has cerebral palsy and is deaf, works at the nearby Safeway on Tassajara Road, where he is popular with co-workers and customers alike.

Karumuri went to the Dublin Police Department on June 15 to report she was a victim of a hit-and-run, claiming an SUV struck her car from behind the same day as Lin was injured. But, when police checked out her black Honda -- similar to one witnesses reported seeing in the area when Lim was struck -- they saw that there was no rear-end damage. However, the car did have front-end damage.

Investigators said arumuri at first told them she didn't hit Lim, but later admitted that she had.

She said she left the scene because she was scared.

According to the state penal code, if convicted Karumuri could face up to four years in state prison and/or up to a $10,000 fine.

Reach Sophia Kazmi at 925-847-2122 or skazmi@bayareanewsgroup.com.