A 41-year-old man died Wednesday after a vehicle hit him in the westbound lanes of East Coast Highway just west of Newport Coast Drive in Newport Beach. Bystanders immediately began life-saving efforts, but Newport Beach Fire Department personnel later pronounced him dead at the scene. The collision shut down the highway for several hours as investigators worked and officers redirected traffic.
Investigation and Traffic Impact
According to a news release from the Newport Beach Police Department, the crash was reported at about 12:45 p.m., and detectives with the department's Major Accident Investigation Team responded to the scene. Officers closed all lanes of East Coast Highway around 1 p.m. so investigators could work. Department alerts show the road was reopened to vehicle traffic by about 6:30 p.m.
Victim Identified
The Orange County coroner has identified the man as 41-year-old Angad Singh Hira of Kentfield in Marin County, a sheriff's spokesperson said, according to the Los Angeles Times.
What Investigators Are Asking
Information on the vehicle and its driver was not immediately available, CBS Los Angeles reported, and Newport Beach police investigators are still working to sort out the circumstances of the collision. Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information that may help is asked to contact Sgt. Sabrina Fabbri at [email protected], according to local reports.
Local Context
This is at least the second fatal pedestrian collision reported in Newport Beach this month. Another pedestrian was killed on June 5, according to the Los Angeles Times. The cluster of incidents has renewed questions about safety along Coast Highway as summer beach traffic picks up.
