A late-night attempt to cross the eastbound 210 Freeway near Madre Street in Pasadena ended in tragedy Sunday, leaving a pedestrian dead and shutting down all eastbound lanes for hours as investigators worked the scene.
Emergency crews from the Pasadena Fire Department and the California Highway Patrol responded to the crash, which unfolded around 9:30 p.m. on the eastbound side of the freeway. Lanes were closed overnight while authorities tried to sort out exactly what happened.
Witnesses told officers they saw a person running across the eastbound lanes shortly before the collision, according to ABC7. The station reported that the driver involved stayed at the scene while CHP officers conducted their investigation, and aerial footage showed traffic stacked up on the 210 as the closure stretched into the night.
At about 9:31 p.m., a woman called the California Highway Patrol to say she believed she had struck someone in an eastbound lane at Madre Street, the CHP told reporters, according to MyNewsLA. The agency issued a SigAlert at about 10:45 p.m., diverting traffic off the freeway at Madre Street. Crews later reopened the HOV and inner lanes after midnight, with all lanes back open in the early morning hours, the outlet reported.
According to SGV CityWatch, a Pasadena Fire Department paramedic pronounced the pedestrian dead at 10:22 p.m. The victim has not yet been publicly identified. The outlet noted that no arrests or criminal charges had been announced as the CHP continues its investigation.
Pasadena's Pedestrian Safety Picture
The fatal crash lands in the middle of an ongoing push to make Pasadena's streets safer for people on foot. According to the City of Pasadena Transportation Department, the city recorded eight fatal collisions in 2024 and had three preliminary fatal collisions in 2025. As part of its Focused Local Roadway Safety Action Plan, Pasadena has set an ambitious goal of reaching zero roadway fatalities by 2035.
Investigation and Traffic Impacts
CHP investigators remained at the scene into the night, and authorities have not released further details about the circumstances of the collision. Anyone who witnessed the crash or has dash-cam footage from the area around the time of the incident was asked to contact the CHP.
Traffic on the eastbound 210 was tied up for hours while crews worked the scene and the SigAlert stayed in effect, according to ABC7.
