A routine Tuesday morning commute turned tragic on Oct. 13, 2020, when a woman was fatally struck while crossing Pico Boulevard at Stewart Avenue in Santa Monica. She suffered severe head trauma and died as she was being transported to a local hospital, authorities said.
Police say officers responded to a radio call at about 8 a.m. and found the pedestrian down in the roadway. Officers immediately began life-saving efforts while waiting for paramedics. According to Santa Monica Mirror, SMPD Capt. Saul Rodriguez said, “Unfortunately, the pedestrian succumbed to her injuries as she was being transported to a local hospital.”
A preliminary investigation found that a vehicle traveling southbound on Stewart Avenue struck the woman while making an eastbound turn onto Pico Boulevard, and that she was in a marked crosswalk at the time of the collision, as reported by Santa Monica Observer. The driver and vehicle remained at the scene, and officials said there were no immediate signs of impairment.
Authorities say the driver is cooperating with investigators, and the Santa Monica Police Department’s Major Accident Response Team responded to process the scene. Investigators are seeking witnesses and any available video from the area, and Canyon News noted that anyone with information or footage is asked to contact Investigator Scott Pace at (310) 458-8954, Sergeant Boyd at (310) 458-2180 or the SMPD at (310) 458-8495.
East Pico Safety Project And Recent Traffic Fatalities
The deadly crash took place along a stretch of Pico Boulevard the city has already flagged for safety upgrades. Pico is among the corridors the City of Santa Monica says account for a disproportionate share of its fatal and severe traffic collisions. The city’s new East Pico Safety Project will inventory existing conditions and test quick-build pedestrian improvements between 26th Street and Centinela Avenue in an effort to reduce those risks, according to the City of Santa Monica.
Concern about pedestrian safety has been renewed after a series of deadly incidents in Santa Monica, including a May 16, 2026 case in which a woman was killed after moving underneath a Metro bus near the Santa Monica Pier, according to the Los Angeles Times. City officials and safety advocates say the string of high-profile crashes has put added pressure on the city to move quickly on projects along corridors like Pico.
Investigators continue to seek witnesses and surveillance footage from the intersection to help piece together what happened, as initially reported by Santa Monica Mirror.
