Tragedy struck in Simi Valley this week when an 81-year-old pedestrian was hit and killed by a vehicle. The Simi Valley Police Department responded to the scene of the collision at the intersection of Ulysses Street and Socrates Avenue on June 18 around 5:22 PM. In a statement released by the department, it was revealed that the victim, identified as Leopoldo Barajas of Simi Valley, was crossing Ulysses Street in the crosswalk at the time of the incident.

An initial assessment by authorities found the pedestrian was walking north across the street when a white BMW SUV, turning from north Socrates Avenue onto west Ulysses Street, collided with him. The victim was transported to a local trauma center where he succumbed to his injuries and despite the best efforts of the emergency services involved, a life was lost, prematurely extinguishing the potential for tomorrow's wisdom.

Senior Officer Matthew Cartwright is leading the ongoing investigation into what led to the fatal collision. The driver, whose name has not been disclosed, showed no signs of impairment at the time of the incident and did not suffer any injuries, according to the police.

The Simi Valley Police Department is reaching out to the community for assistance; they are urging anyone who might have information or video of the incident to contact Senior Officer Cartwright at (805) 583-6950 or via email at [email protected], in hopes that understanding the full breadth of this calamity can prevent the future sacrifice of innocents on the altar of haste and carelessness.

Commander Ritchie Lew from the Simi Valley Police Department's Traffic Bureau has also been made available for contact at [email protected] or (805) 583-6960, signaling the gravity with which this incident is being approached by the local authorities in the community that now mourns one of its own.