A pedestrian was struck and killed at the intersection of Tully Road and Roseburg Avenue in Modesto, with emergency crews unable to save the victim despite providing aid at the scene. Traffic remained snarled in the area as investigators worked to piece together what happened.
According to a Modesto Police Department post, officers are investigating a fatal vehicle-versus-pedestrian collision in the area. Emergency medical personnel responded and provided aid, but the pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene, police said. The department has not released the victim's identity, age, or the circumstances that led to the collision.
The Modesto Police Department Traffic Unit is leading the investigation into the circumstances of the crash, per the department's post. That specialized unit is made up of one sergeant, five officers, and one community service officer dedicated to major collision reconstruction and targeted traffic enforcement, according to background provided by the Modesto Police Department. Traffic remained impacted in the area while the investigation was underway, and police urged the public to avoid the intersection and use alternate routes if possible. Officials said additional information would be released as it becomes available.
A Dangerous Stretch of Road
Roseburg Avenue, where the crash occurred, carries a posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour between Carver Road and McHenry Avenue under Modesto Municipal Code Ordinance No. 3815-C.S., which was updated in August 2025 by the City of Modesto. Tully Road, which intersects Roseburg, has been the site of other severe collisions in recent months. In June, a high-speed three-vehicle crash near Ladd Road and Tully Road just outside Modesto left two people dead and seven injured, as Hoodline previously reported, with California Highway Patrol investigators citing high speed and suspected alcohol as factors, according to the Oakdale Leader.
Whether speed, visibility, or another factor played a role in Tuesday's crash has not been disclosed by investigators. Under California Vehicle Code Section 21950, motorists are required to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing within any marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, while pedestrians are barred from stepping off a curb so suddenly that an oncoming vehicle becomes an immediate hazard, according to the Shouse Law Group. It remains unclear whether the collision occurred within a marked or unmarked crosswalk.
Part of a Broader Pattern
The crash adds to a string of fatal pedestrian collisions Modesto Police have investigated this year. In May, a pedestrian walking in the roadway on Hatch Road was struck and killed by multiple vehicles, a case ABC10 reported drivers involved in that crash remained at the scene and cooperated with officers. In February, a woman was struck and killed crossing Pelandale Avenue, a crash Hoodline covered at the time.
City data shows the risk is not isolated to any one street. In 2023, Modesto recorded 110 pedestrian collisions that resulted in eight fatalities, according to crash data compiled by Canyon News. The California Office of Traffic Safety has ranked Modesto as the second most dangerous California city of comparable size for traffic collisions involving injuries and fatalities, as well as for nighttime crashes, according to Maison Law. The City of Modesto's May 2026 City Manager report found that unsafe speed is cited as the primary violation in 11% of crashes, with low-visibility nighttime conditions identified as a major driver of severe pedestrian accidents.
City's Push for Vision Zero
The fatal collision comes amid an active municipal push to curb traffic deaths. In April, the Modesto City Council adopted a Vision Zero Resolution and accepted the Safe Streets and Roads for All Action Plan, setting a goal to cut severe and fatal traffic collisions in half by 2045, according to the City of Modesto. As part of that broader safety effort, the city began installing red-light enforcement cameras at high-risk intersections in March, starting on Coffee Road at Briggsmore and Sylvan avenues, in an effort to curb reckless driving and reduce broadside collisions.
It is not yet known whether the victim has been identified by the Stanislaus County Coroner's Office, and Modesto Police have not said whether the driver remained at the scene. The Modesto Police Department Traffic Unit continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision, and police say more information will be released as the case develops.
