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Atherton woman arrested in hit and run in Menlo

by Sandy Brundage

A 62-year-old Atherton woman was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence during a chaotic exit from a Menlo Park parking plaza Tuesday, Dec. 7.

Police said the driver's vehicle struck parked cars twice, injuring two people. Each time, bystanders came to the rescue, helping a man pinned between two parked cars, and taking the keys from the suspect after her car collided with a tree, police said.

Margaret Brill was booked into the San Mateo County jail on suspicion of driving under the influence, reckless driving, and hit-and-run with injury, according to Nicole Acker, a spokesperson for the Menlo Park Police Department.

Police said it began at around 1 p.m. when she was backing out of a parking space in the plaza behind the 600 block of Santa Cruz Avenue. Her vehicle struck a parked car, which then hit another car, pinning a man between them, police said.

Several bystanders pulled the cars apart and freed the victim, police said. Firefighters with the Menlo Park Fire Protection District assisted the man, who was taken to Stanford Hospital with "non-life threatening injuries," Ms. Acker said in a statement.

Without stopping, the car pulled out onto Curtis Avenue before fishtailing on Santa Cruz Avenue, striking two more vehicles. Her car stopped after leaping the center median into a tree, according to the police department.

A woman in one of the parked vehicles received minor injuries, but was not hospitalized, police said.

Police ask any witnesses to call 330-6300.