[UPDATE 6:48 p.m.: Northbound 101 Shut Down] Pedestrian Possibly Struck by Multiple Vehicles on 101 at Herrick
[Background image by Oliver Cory]
Fire personnel at the scene confirmed that the victim was deceased.
Eureka Police, and Humboldt Bay Fire are at the scene.
The California Highway Patrol is directing traffic at the incident site but traffic is snarled both northbound and southbound in the area.
Please remember that information gathered from initial reports is subject to revision as more facts become available.
UPDATE 6:20 p.m.: The Caltrans Traffic camera shows southbound traffic has backed up past the old KMart, newish Papa and Barkley exit.
The Caltrans Traffic camera shows southbound traffic has backed up past the old KMart, newish Papa and Barkley exit.
UPDATE 6:30 p.m.: Our reporter, Mark McKenna, is at the scene and took these photos/video:
UPDATE 6:48 p.m.: Sgt. Greg Hill of Eureka Police tells our reporter Mark McKenna that Hwy 101 northbound is being shut down temporarily as officers collect evidence.
Southbound traffic is being diverted into a single lane that is in turn diverted onto Herrick Avenue offramp but then traffic can get back on Hwy 101 from the Herrick Avenue onramp.
McKenna tells us that in spite of the report on the CHP page, the victim’s body is in the center divide. He also told us that the Subaru that hit the victim is badly damaged–both on the roof and the windshield.
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Traffic is very slow in both directions there right now. Lots of emergency vehicles.
And of course there were at least 2 not pedestrians lurking in the center lane in dark clothing at other points on Broadway. Such a treacherous stretch of road. Eyes on the road and drive slow
I think it must be about time to put Cyclone fencing all along Broadway, both sides, to keep pedestrians off 101 and make cattle tunnels under ground for crossing.
I couldn’t agree more.
Walk bridges would be better. Tunnels in Eureka…
Think back to high school geometry and how to calculate a slope. In order for the bridges to be high enough for trucks to pass under and not too steep for people to walk up and down, the ramps would have to be blocks long.
What makes you think that someone who won’t walk 1/2 mile to reach a traffic signal is going to walk 1/2 mile to reach a bridge that they then have to walk uphill on for 1/4 mile?
Cal trans doesn’t allow for many of the safety measures we would all like on that stretch of road. The City of Eureka has very little say-so as to ‘improvements’ on 101.
Good idea but would not work. Tweekers would still play frogger.
If ur talking about the accident by the Herrick on hwy 101. That was my son who died n he was not a tweeker he suffered from mental illness
I am do sorry for your loss.
Thank u
Herrick Avenue is a bridge over 101. Broadway is a little different. Wandering into traffic will lead to the Pearly Gates
after living through a major quake and then an awful wind and rain storm on the streets, maybe the victim was aiming for the pearly gates
U should think about the family of the young man before being so callus n ur comments. He has a family that is broken n confused n we grieving the loss of our son
A walk bridge would be cheaper, dryer and safer than a tunnel.
People aren’t going to walk a half mile out of their way to walk uphill on a bridge ramp for 1/4 mile.
Put the cars in a tunnel & leave the surface for everyone else.
yeah
pedestrians don’t kill people
I’m serious
My own kid was hit on Broadway years ago…
fuck cars
I think rerouting 101 like was or is planned is the preferable option. Super bridge, like those long ones in Florida/Little Lake Valley in Willits, from Bayshore to the old SPI mill with 4 lane widening on Samoa Blvd from Arcata to the Jetty. Needed for huge windmills.
Uh do you understand ocean rise and seismology??? The 101 will be under water between eureka and arcata within 5 years, as will samoa parking lot by bay and the area near herrick, the new “walking area” will not be able to mitigate the water.
We live in the most seismically active area in the country&are overdue for a 7.5 or higher in geologic time.
There are NO plans to reroute 101 anywhere but last chance grade, which is going to take priority as its one of our main supply routes.
The windmills are going out in the ocean&will be transported by boat, theyre not going to drive them to the waterftont for assembly.
Just fyi they drained an entire wetland and even got to keep building after disturbing/digging up native site when they did the willits bypass.
Literally killed thousands of migrating birds by destroying an entire ecosystem so cars could have a place to drive. Also killed the tourist economy in willits.
If those are your ideas i suggest you move to a city. We like nature here.
The chp needs to be 24/7 pulling people over at the south entrance to eureka. People need to slow down&pay attention when driving!!!
We need cars that will not work if a cel phone is on in the car, I see people heads down texting everytime Im by herrick.
We should at least have the tech to tell if someone was on their phone when they hit someone/caused an accident and they should get fined 10x more/10x greater jail term if they were on phone.
Because we certainly can’t expect people to take any personal responsibility.
You of course mean CAR DRIVERS
Makes me wonder if hi viz. vests handed out to the traffic vulnerable public could help both the pedestrian and drivers.
Especially on these rainy nights.
I just don’t drive after dark.
I know my limits.
This^…
All homeless, participants in needle exchanges and anyone using government assistance or Betty Chinn’s facilities must wear a reflective vest at all times. That way we, the public that suooorts their way of life, can see them on Broadway, recognize the porch pirates stealing from us; above and beyond the public assistance we provide, and be able to see them when we turn on the lights at our homes when our possessions beyond boxes on the porch are stolen.
I like it! Plus it will give them another article of clothing to fend off the weather.
Win-win!
Maybe a yellow star or a pink diamond?
Ouch…good one! Most won’t know it’s meaning though…
Just a cheap hi viz. vest like Caltrans wares
It would save lives for homeless and drivers that unfortunately hit them No Star of you know who.
Oh, don’t be silly. This is a safety issue, not Dachau. It’s a safety issue that’s no different than mandates shutting down businesses and schools for a biological lab experiment getting loose in Wuhan, China, or the Biden Administration* mandating all federal employees and military members getting a placebo shot that was ineffective at spreading Fauci’s manipulated virus.
Oh, and my condolences to the deceased and his family. Such a shame that in the very first photo, there’s a crosswalk at the stoplight by the old K-Mart that would have allowed a would be jay Walker to cross safely.
*or her family. Wouldn’t want to run afoul of excluding one of the two genders. RIP.
Hey- There are way more than two genders! Stop being sexist!!!!
I think the report is the person was laying down in the fast lane. Maybe just another fentanyl overdose.
That stretch of 101 seems to be a suicide spot.
My son wasn’t on drugs he suffered from mental illness
It sure is easy to be confused and fightened by the things we all hear these days, huh?
Such a pretty day outside. I think I might do well to get out in the sun today, maybe say ‘Hi’ to a neighbor.
Hope some others do the same, maybe turn OFF your ‘news’ station for a while.
Well-done, Kym!
I like the yellow star idea. It is a time-honored tradition from Europe that fell out of favor for some reason. Better yet let’s open up some camps so we can concentrate all of them away from the rest of the population and clean up the human race. Finally, we would have a solution. (note sarcasm)
I think those camps you’re referring to are called “tiny home villages” now.
Oooh!
Green clovers ..
blue horse shoe?
I thought we didn’t insult people don’t you think that may be offensive to some homeless person or some tweeker seems just as bad as insulting some millinials who whine about spider mites to me you should delete your comment walk the talk..lol
It was a triangle, in the interest of historical accuracy.
Your contribution is most appreciated.
Not to mention the porch pirates and theives why do you find it nessesary to kick these people don’t they have feelings to
It’s not that serious I know this is your site and you can do whatever you like I’m grateful for it and think you do a great job but it almost has a hypocritical vibe to it im thinking ..lol thank u for all you do kym but my comment was a masterpiece of a comment but can’t say any thing about new age millianals with permission slips whining about spider mites but it’s OK to kick the homeless ,porch pirates and tweekers ..your site your rules ok well now I know
Yellow star… like the nazis made Jewish people wear? Like the government is putting on all real ids?
pink diamond or pink triangle?
Pink triangle is the term I should have used.
Yellow star? You better think twice!
Good one kym!😎
My grandpa used to kill Nazis
So did mine. I got to play in Saddam’s sandbox.
And my dad got to kill Vietcong and Chinese communists in Vietnam. We’re going to get another crack at the Chinese communists. Mark my words…
KILL KILL KILL
amirite?
Scarlet letter?
No. A reflective, high visibility vest and enforcement of jay walking laws.
How about enforcement of literally any traffic laws? Speeding, failure to signal, failure to yield, driving distracted.
Some of the biggest jaywalkers are actually drivers too lazy to walk from their parking spot to an intersection before they dart across the street.
I recall seeing huge SUVs park IN THE CROSSWALK in front of Chautauqua
or ON THE SIDEWALKS
CARS WIN OVER HUMAN LIVES in this sick sick culture
fuck cars
you will be able to legally jaywalk in 4 days.
We get it. You want to kill homeless people. That doesn’t take more than one sentence to say.
How many people typed your comment? “We”? Regardless, that’s nonsense. I’m proposing people that walk around town and cross major highways at night wear a hi viz vest for their (wait for it…)
Safety.
I know that a portion of those out meandering in traffic are severely mentally ill, and we’ve done wrong by them. We need mandatory inpatient treatment,case management and medication management. But I’m so tired of hearing the general public needs to do one more thing, bend over even further backwards, for addicts and criminals who take zero responsibility for their choices. Sigh.
I’m just saying the vest’s are the best way for people to stay visible at night.
It’s a simple thing to do
Just following the basic law of yielding to pedestrians who are trying to cross the street at a crosswalk would improve things. Why should a pedestrian, whether a fine upstanding citizen out for exercise, a kid on a bike, or a tweaker, bother walking to and waiting at a crosswalk when drivers aren’t going to stop anyways?
YEP
Take a walk in Ashland, Oregon for a UNIQUE pedestrian experience
I recommend
My son was mentally ill. N ur rite the whole mental health system has done the mentally wrong. We beg for help for him n time n time again he basically fell thru the cracks. N now he is gone. Killed on a dark hwy far from home. n we r broken
Shithead drivers already ignore and harass law-abiding pedestrians and cyclists wearing high vis vests.
Vests don’t serve any purpose. High vis rain ponchos keep people warm and dry, meaning people are more likely to wear them. Backpacks might possibly work.
Maybe get a few street lights put in to the southern ends of north and south on ramps. With warning signs for Pedestrian Crossing .
It does seem like a lot of people get hit over there
Whether it’s leaving Eureka, or just arriving, people are driving their cars at an accelerated rate of speed…in that section, difficult to see a pedestrian in the dark in dark clothing.
You sure are correct Wendy. I have seen that speed radar just past Herrick display 72 MPH by a car in #2 north bound lane! Drivers have lost their minds and any concern for public safety 🙁
IDK who was killed, but may they RIP.
My son is now at peace n is not fighting his mental illness any longer but we r gonna miss him for the rest of our life’s
Prayers from the heart so sorry for your loss.
My friend was going 45 MPH with the flow of traffic. If her evasive maneuvers had been successful, he would’ve been hit anyway. I agree with your view of drivers, but blame the system that let this fella roam the streets without the support he needed. It took thousands of people fucking up to cause this tragedy, not just one.
None of your ideas will ever work. And it’s only going to get worse. MARK MY WORDS!!!
You sound like a real fun guy, Joe.
[email protected]
Kym, is a link to an email account and nothing else dangerous?
Maybe dangerous, maybe not… suspect, for sure
The fact is that a major highway shouldn’t be running where it is. Too many people, whether from need or stupidity will keep running across it at night . Between the headlights and the dark and the traffic, it is going to keep happening. And putting overpasses or underpasses will not stop people looking for shortcuts across miles of traffic. They will not use them anymore than they already use crosswalks.
Without a rerouting, the only thing that I can think of is to break up the turn lanes with small islands so that those trying to cross will have at least a shorter way to go across two lanes to reach one than trying to cross 5 lanes of traffic all at once. I don’t if it’s feasuble or would help but it seems doable.
Yes, traffic islands are an excellent idea and much more feasible than over/underpasses.
The other thing that would help considerably but people won’t like the sound of is putting a traffic light at every intersection.
The only other place where 101 runs through a busy commercial area like this is Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco. Big homeless and drug problem in the neighborhood around that stretch, higher population and more cars on a daily basis, but not as many pedestrians hit because there’s a light at every intersection so it’s easier for people to cross at the light than elsewhere. The safe decision has to be the easy decision.
Crescent City
Seems like traffic islands would only provide additional real estate for said ‘pedestrians’ to hangout, sleep, overdose, loiter, litter, pander, deficate and do whatever else it is they do. Think about it.
I am all for the razor fencing lining both sides of the highway idea. It really could work.
I’m thinking I have never seen any of those things on a small island separating turn lanes.
You do realize it is illegal to be a pedestrian on a freeway in California. Play stupid games win stupid prizes.
These people are not being hit on the ‘freeway’ champ
You do realize a “freeway” and a “highway” are not the same thing, right? Sounds like you need to go back to driver’s ed.
Razor fencing, meh – include guard rails and bollards and I might be interested. I don’t like how many drivers think they own the sidewalk, too. Add retractable tire shredders that pop up in crosswalks when the “walk” sign is on and I’ll be completely on board.
Should safe, law-abiding pedestrians suffer because you’re afraid tweakers will camp out on traffic islands? Lots of them camp out, literally, in parking lots, why don’t we eliminate those?
Not every pedestrian walking down the road is a drug addict thief. Looking for somewhere to sleep or loiter or defecate on the sidewalk you sound freaking ignorant
That’s rite people on here making rude comments from tweekers to homeless blah blah. They need to relize the young man that died has a family that loves him n is grieving his death l know this cuz he was my son n he suffered from severe mental illness n our mental health system failed him miserably
Julia, I am terribly sorry for your loss. I have learned that the person who hit your son is a friend of mine. She will never be the same. And I know that losing a child is harder.
So many lives tragically touched in a blink of an eye! I have been guilty of judging situations like this as “idiot vs. idiot” in the past. In this case, I know the driver isn’t an idiot and you know your son wasn’t.
You will miss him with all your heart. But you can find the strength to carry on, to thrive. It’s what would want your son to do, if it were you.
Use your network. You have people around you who care. Hug someone. And don’t be afraid to cry.
Thank u l was wanting to reach out to who hit him. I wanted to know if they were ok.l know they to are devastated n my heart breaks for them l wanted to tell them we would never blame them n l pray to God to help them through this hard time. God bless ur friend plz let her know our family has her n our prayers.
R.I.P. condolences to family & friends 😢
My sympathies to the family and friends of the deceased.
Thank you we appreciate your kindness 🙏
For whatever reason the pedestrian was hit and killed it is truly very sad. Condolences to their family and friends. RIP. Iam very sorry for the drivers of the vehicles that hit the person. That memory in time will last very long. For me the thought of hitting someone with my vehicle makes me sick to my stomach. We really need to find a solution that will prevent people from being hit or killed, and for the life of me I am not coming up with much for ideas. High chain link fencing with razor wire along the top, cement wall too high to climb over?
Dig a tunnel for car traffic and provide alternative surface transportation options between McKinleyville and Fortuna.
Sadly, No Joke I don’t think that will ever happen. Even lowering the speed limit is not going to stop folks from walking onto the freeway and being killed. At least you are making a very good attempt to solve the problem. We need more folks like you that may have some idea of what to do. Post anymore thoughts on the problem and how to cure it. They are welcome!
I am wondering if the person that was hit halfway in the South bound lane managed to crawl to the center divider before dying. Seems to be conflicting accounts as to what happened. It is just sad and makes my heart hurt.
Good ol’ Humboldt County in the land of fruits and nuts. I’ve read all the comments and see very few comments concerning love and empathy for each other. Go slow, watch for each other.
You did not read my comment William. I am not a fruit or a nut.