A late-night attempt to cross a busy Southwest Side roadway turned fatal Thursday, after a pedestrian was struck and killed on San Antonio's Five Palms Drive, police said. Officers responded just before 10 p.m. to the 8600 block of Five Palms Drive, near Old Pearsall Road, where emergency crews pronounced the victim dead at the scene. Authorities have not yet released the person's name.
According to KSAT, a preliminary report from SAPD states the pedestrian was crossing in a spot not designated for pedestrians when a Buick Enclave hit them. The outlet reports the driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators. Police say the case remains under investigation.
Pedestrian Safety On The Southwest Side
San Antonio continues to shoulder an outsized share of Texas pedestrian crashes. MySA reported that TxDOT recorded 5,766 pedestrian-involved crashes statewide in 2022, and nearly 12 percent of those happened in San Antonio. Officials and safety advocates have long argued that fast, car-oriented streets without marked crosswalks fuel the death toll, and have pushed for targeted fixes on high-injury corridors.
What To Watch Next
SAPD's traffic unit is leading the investigation and has not released additional details about the victim, according to the preliminary report. The crash is another stark reminder of the risks along high-speed corridors on the city's edges. Hoodline's recent analysis, Texas streets among America's worst for pedestrians, called for more crossings, lower speed limits and quick-build safety projects to curb similar tragedies. Anyone with information about Thursday night's collision is urged to contact San Antonio police.
