An 86-year-old pedestrian was struck and killed early Thursday on Highway 503 in the unincorporated community of Orchards in Clark County, just north of Fourth Plain Boulevard near Northeast 71st Street. The crash was reported around 5 a.m. and involved a driver who was traveling south on the highway and entering the intersection on a green light.
Washington State Patrol is leading the investigation into the deadly crash, according to KATU. Clark County Sheriff's Office deputies were assisting at the scene, and deputies there did not comment on the collision. The station described the story as developing, with updates to come as more information becomes available.
Washington law draws a sharp legal line around exactly where a pedestrian is crossing when a crash like this occurs. Under RCW 46.61.235, drivers must stop and remain stopped for pedestrians crossing within a marked or unmarked crosswalk when the pedestrian is on or within one lane of the driver's half of the roadway. But under a separate statute, RCW 46.61.240, a pedestrian crossing outside of a marked crosswalk or an unmarked intersection crosswalk is required to yield the right-of-way to oncoming vehicles. It remains unclear where along the highway Thursday's crash occurred relative to any crosswalk, leaving the exact circumstances of the collision an open question for investigators.
A Corridor With a Troubled Recent History
Thursday's fatality is not an isolated incident for Clark County's pedestrians. Just nine days earlier, on September 8, a 55-year-old woman walking a dog was seriously injured after being struck by a Ford F-150 while she was in a crosswalk but crossing against the red light at NE 137th Avenue and NE 99th Street, a crash the Clark County Sheriff's Office Traffic Unit investigated for potential driver impairment, per FlashAlert.
Highway 503 itself has seen tragedy before. In July, a wrong-way collision near Battle Ground left three people dead and one injured when a northbound vehicle crossed into southbound lanes, according to The Reflector. And the broader Fourth Plain Boulevard corridor has its own grim record: in January 2024, a 67-year-old pedestrian was struck and killed near 135th Avenue in Vancouver while attempting to cross outside a marked crosswalk, in a crash where the driver fled the scene, KGW reported at the time.
Pedestrian Deaths Remain Near Record Highs Statewide
The pattern in Orchards fits into a troubling statewide picture. Pedestrian fatalities in Washington hit an all-time record of 160 deaths in 2023 and have stayed near that historic peak since, with 158 deaths in 2024 and 148 in 2025, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. That persistence stands out because overall traffic deaths in the state have been falling: preliminary data show statewide fatalities dropped to 659 in 2025, a 10.5% decline from 2024 and an 18% reduction from the 33-year peak of 809 deaths recorded in 2023, per the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.
Increased enforcement has been part of the statewide response. Even so, fatal crashes involving people age 70 and older reached an all-time high of 112 deaths in 2025, the commission found, underscoring how older pedestrians and drivers face heightened risk of severe injury when collisions occur.
Speed and Road Design Compound the Risk
Clark County's higher-speed arterials provide context for discussing the county's worst crashes.
Investigators are continuing to piece together what happened in Thursday's crash. No further details about the identity of the victim or the driver involved have been released, and the investigation remains active.
