Witnesses recount SLO hit and run

Author

Carly Heltzel
January 16, 2026

Good morning. It’s Monday, and I’m watching video of the four-person capsule returning from space on Wednesday night that lit up San Luis Obispo’s skies. Onto the five Cal Poly, SLO and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

Two witnesses to last week’s hit and run just off campus confirmed that the two victims are Cal Poly sophomores and that they were released from the hospital last night for continuing care. They described the Tesla speeding up Crandall Way, hitting the group, sending both of the victims into the air, one landing on the windshield and the car driving off without slowing down. Police are investigating if the driver, a Cal Poly junior, was impaired at the time. 

2.

In a survey of 7,000 students and parents, people at San Luis Coastal School District said they generally felt a strong sense of belonging, feeling safe and supported. The district showed a better sense of belonging than 86% of schools surveyed. In the high school and middle school range, students reported a high amount of stress about academics and the future, though expressed confidence in the schools’ support systems.

3.

District Attorney Dan Dow said he would not support establishing ICE-free zones in the county, and would prosecute protesters who violate the law. His stance comes after 250 people gathered near the SLO County jail last Sunday to advocate for establishing ICE-free zones on county property, such as the jail or the courthouse. In the past 13 months ICE has take 103 people from SLO County, including at least three from custody in the jail.

4.

Gov. Gavin Newsom is in a pickle. He needs funding for the state’s public health insurance Medi-Cal, but after vowing to tank a wealth tax for billionaires in the state, he either needs to increase taxes on exhausted and overtaxed Californians or fail to fund a program that millions of low income and disabled residents rely on. One coalition is fighting for a corporate tax, but details are fuzzy.

5.

A new thrift store downtown opens today. SLO Thrift is a mission-driven nonprofit whose owner hopes to give back to the community — it’s chosen recipient of donations this year is the Make a Wish Foundation. It’ll sell clothing, home goods and any unique pieces. The owner said it’s about more than a store: it’s about “building something positive for the community.”