Tragedy struck early Tuesday morning in Santa Rosa when a woman was fatally struck by a pickup truck while crossing College Avenue. The Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) was promptly called to the intersection with Orchard Street after several 911 calls were made by witnesses to the vehicle vs pedestrian collision. According to the Facebook post issued by the SRPD, the collision occurred around 6:15 am.

First responders found the female victim lying on the roadway with significant injuries and pronounced her dead at the scene. The driver, a 21-year-old Sonoma County resident, stayed at the scene and was reported to be unharmed. The SRPD has begun to thoroughly investigate the incident, interviewing both the driver of the gray Chevy Silverado, which sustained noticeable front-end damage, and several witnesses. While the female pedestrian was believed to be crossing northbound in the crosswalk, initial reports suggest she may not have activated the crossing's flashing lights.

The SRPD noted that the woman was nearly across when she was hit by the westbound pickup. In cooperation with the investigation, the driver showed no signs of impairment and speed isn't thought to be a contributing factor to the accident. Visibility conditions at the time of the accident, given it was still dark outside, are also being considered.

Following the accident, a section of College Avenue was briefly closed between Beaver and Humboldt Streets as investigators surveyed the scene. The names of both the driver and the deceased have yet to be released, pending the notification of the victim's next of kin. Sgt. Summer Gloeckner stated that the community's assistance could be vital in unfolding the circumstances that led to the pedestrian's untimely death, urging anyone with information to reach out to Officer Zepeda at 707-543-3636.