A man was fatally struck by a vehicle while attempting to cross a street in Phoenix's north side, triggering a police investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident. According to ABC15, the collision occurred just before 11 p.m. on Friday near the intersection of 35th Avenue and Northern Avenue. Upon arrival, Phoenix police discovered the badly injured man, who was later pronounced dead at the scene by the Phoenix Fire Department.
Investigators are looking into whether impairment was a contributing factor, as the driver involved in the crash was processed for DUI, the police said. The pedestrian was not utilizing a crosswalk at the time of the incident. This detail was also noted in a report by the Yahoo News, where it was mentioned that the man was not in a crosswalk when the attempt to cross Northern Avenue was made.
Further details regarding the identity of the deceased have not been released as the investigation remains active. Sgt. Lorraine Fernandez, a spokesperson for the Phoenix Police Department, confirmed to Yahoo News that "an adult male driver remained at the scene and was taken to a nearby police station, where he was processed for DUI." This investigation has been handed over to the Phoenix Police Department’s Vehicular Crimes Unit to determine the full scope of events leading up to the collision.
Both sources indicate that further information will only be made public once the investigation has progressed. With the driver's DUI processing already underway, authorities will consider this element, among other factors, to establish the events that led to the tragic end of a pedestrian's life that night. While the police work their due diligence, the community is left to grapple with the heavy weight of a life lost on a darkened Phoenix street.
