A 39-year-old man, Ambrose Hicks, has been identified as the pedestrian killed in a hit-and-run collision in East Oakland last Thursday. The crash happened around 5:55 PM at East 12th Street and 22nd Avenue. Hicks was rushed to a hospital, where he died a short time later. Police say they have recovered the striking vehicle, described as an Infiniti, but no arrests have been announced and it is still not clear whether speed, alcohol or drugs played a role.
According to East Bay Times, the Alameda County coroner's bureau confirmed Hicks' identity, and the Oakland Police Department located the Infiniti tied to the crash. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and witness statements as they work to identify a suspect.
Police Ask For Tips
The Oakland Police Department's Traffic Investigation Unit is leading the case and is asking anyone with information or video of the crash to call (510) 777-8570, according to the City of Oakland. The city notes that fatal collision reports and evidence requests are handled through OPD's Eastmont Substation at 2651 73rd Avenue.
Neighbors And Advocates Respond
Neighbors and local safety advocates say the deadly hit-and-run is part of a broader crisis on Oakland streets, where serious crashes and pedestrian deaths remain all too common. Traffic Violence Rapid Response tracks traffic fatalities citywide and has logged a series of recent deaths that organizers say highlight the need for faster safety fixes, per Traffic Violence Rapid Response.
What The Data Shows
As outlined in Oakland's Safe Oakland Streets report, about a quarter of fatal crashes in the city are hit-and-runs, and nearly half of severe and deadly collisions happen at intersections. Those patterns make walking along major corridors particularly dangerous. The report calls for targeted engineering changes, enforcement efforts and community outreach along the city's high-injury network in an effort to prevent more deaths.
