[UPDATE 1:36 p.m.: Major Injuries, Say EPD] Older Pedestrian Struck in Crosswalk on F Street in Eureka
Emergency personnel at the scene. [Photo by Mark McKenna]
According to initial information, the pedestrian was a 75-year-old woman. The vehicle was reportedly traveling at a slow rate of speed, but the impact knocked the woman into the gutter, where she was found on her back.
An ambulance transported the woman Code 3 to the hospital, indicating injuries serious enough to require lights and sirens. Humboldt Bay Fire reports she has major injuries.
Traffic was backing up in the area, according to Caltrans’ QuickMap.
This is a developing story, and details may change as more information becomes available.
UPDATE 10:21 a.m.: Streets are blocked at F and Harris and also at Wood and F.
It appears that the driver was turning from F onto Harris when the collision happened but that has not been confirmed.
UPDATE 1:36 p.m.: Press release from EPD. Give 30 seconds for the PDF to load.
Jan_6_26_Major Injury Collision
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I pray that the 75-year-old woman that was hit by a vehicle will make a complete recovery. I also feel sorry for the vehicle driver that hit her while turning onto F from Harris. Thankfully the vehicle driver was going slowly, or the woman’s injuries could have been much worse with death as a possibility. Please drivers watch out for folks in the crosswalks or popping out between vehicles and stepping into the street. Look twice before making your move.
At 75 years old just a fall could be fatal. I’m old, no wiggle room.
Good luck on recovery. My condolences.
Why do you feel sorry for the driver who was not paying attention to their surroundings? This isn’t a blind intersection or lots of traffic to watch out for.
Probably because they are a compassionate person and care about people. This was an accident. They weren’t impaired. They made a big mistake. There is no reason not to extend compassion toward all involved.
Sure hoping for a full recovery for the lady that was hit.
If they made a turn without looking for pedestrians, it wasn’t an accident, it was carelessness. Driving carelessly or distracted is just as much being “impaired” as driving drunk is.
I don’t know the exact circumstances, but I know from experience that drivers turning right on a red light have to be extra careful of pedestrians. This nearly happened to me in Fortuna, and I was the driver. I stopped at 12th St. and prepared to turn right (with turn signal on) onto Main St. A pedestrian was waiting at the red light to cross Man St. apparently waiting for it to change. In the moment it took me to turn my head to the left and check that there was no oncoming traffic on Main St. the pedestrian must have changed their mind and decided to cross in front of me. When I started my turn, there was the formerly stationary pedestrian stepping in front of me. Luckily, I had just enough time to stop. It taught me that both drivers and pedestrians in that situation need to be extra cautious and be prepared for surprises.
Turning from F onto Harris is a left turn with traffic signal controls (Harris is one-way at that point).
If they were headed north on F, it would be a right turn. And from past experience, people turning right, whether on red, green, or at a stop sign, seldom look to the right because they assume all traffic that might impact them is coming from the left. When they eventually look right it’s because they’ve already started moving in that direction and by then it’s too late for any pedestrians or cyclists in the way.
You would have to turn left from Harris on F to reach Wood st. Article says between Harris and Wood on F st.
Read the media release Tim.
Nobody was turning onto Harris. Driver was turning left from going east on Harris, to north on F. I see that the original supposition in the article has been redacted, and the police report stands.
That was a good lesson. Yes, before you press down on the gas pedal, you need to look in the direction you are actually moving your vehicle! As a frequent pedestrian, I’m often amazed how many drivers don’t (especially when oneway streets are involved.
That section of F Street is dangerous for pedestrians. There are 4 crosswalks and 3 connecting streets (Wood, Grotto & Russ) within 200 feet. And it can be hard to see around the corner coming onto F Street from the side streets. A lot of people don’t even bother to use the crosswalks…
Why should they bother to use the crosswalks when they’re still going to get hit for using them?