Police: Scooter driver had DUI warrants before major crash
Police identified the scooter operator as Irving Moreno-Reyes. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI causing injury, BPD said.
A scooter operator whose passenger sustained serious injuries in a crash Monday night in downtown Berkeley had outstanding DUI warrants before the collision, records show.
Berkeley police said they responded to Oxford and Addison streets at 8:05 p.m. for a collision between a vehicle and two people on a seated Veo electric scooter.
Police determined that the vehicle had been southbound on Oxford when the scooter "merged into the same lane" and collided with the car.
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The scooter operator and his passenger "were knocked off the eScooter," authorities said. "The passenger was seriously injured."
On Tuesday, police said they believe the passenger may have been standing on the scooter in front of the operator at the time of the crash.
Online materials indicate that this type of scooter is only suitable for a single rider.
Emilie Raguso
The passenger, a 33-year-old man, was listed in critical condition after the collision.
Police said he was in the ICU but stable as of Tuesday.
Due to the severity of his injuries, police called in their Fatal Accident Investigation Team, which handles serious and fatal crashes, after the collision.
The car driver, a 21-year-old woman, stayed at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation, BPD said.
Officers assessed the scooter operator at the scene through a series of field sobriety tests and ultimately arrested him on suspicion of riding a bicycle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, listed as a misdemeanor, and DUI causing injury, listed as a felony.
Irving Moreno-Reyes. BPD
Police identified the scooter operator as 23-year-old Irving Moreno-Reyes of San Pablo, and said he also had a suspended license and warrants related to DUI.
According to booking records, Moreno-Reyes is being held at Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $80,000.
The prior DUI case dates back to an incident in August 2025 in Alameda County, according to court records; details about that incident, including the city where it took place, were not immediately available.
But records do show that Moreno-Reyes was charged in November with having a 0.08% or higher blood alcohol level during the 2025 stop.
He is scheduled for arraignment in both cases on Thursday morning, according to court records.
On Tuesday, community members also noted that the area where the crash took place is adjacent to a construction site where the sidewalk and bike lane have been closed.
"If this site was in Oakland, the city’s construction access guidelines would have required converting the second car lane in order to maintain the biking and walking access," said Robert Prinz, advocacy director for Bike East Bay. "Oakland’s guidelines are also to provide safe and navigable access for people with disabilities, since detours across the street can be confusing and dangerous."
