A man was struck and killed by a vehicle on Frankford Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia early Wednesday morning, and investigators had not said by midday whether the driver would face charges. The crash happened around 7:49 a.m. in the 9900 block of Frankford Avenue near Knights Road, and police were still investigating Wednesday morning.
According to NBC10 Philadelphia, the man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:31 a.m. The outlet reported that the investigation remained ongoing as of Wednesday morning, and that NBC10 was continuing to work to learn more about the incident.
Scene Shows Truck Still on the Roadway
NBC10's SkyForce 10 captured images of police vehicles blocking the roadway at the scene, the station's report noted. In those images, it appeared a gray pickup truck remained on the roadway where the crash occurred, though the outlet did not say whether that vehicle was involved in striking the man.
Police had not immediately provided additional information about the man who died, including his identity or age, per the same account. Investigators also had not immediately said whether the driver involved would face charges in the crash, leaving key questions about the circumstances of the collision unanswered for now.
Frankford Avenue's Recent Run of Deadly Crashes
Wednesday's death adds to a string of serious crashes that have struck Frankford Avenue in recent months. In the early hours of a Friday, a driver traveling at what police described as an extremely high rate of speed crashed into utility poles and several parked cars on the 9400 block of Frankford Avenue near Pearson Avenue, just before 1 a.m., according to CBS News Philadelphia. That driver was identified as 32-year-old Ziyodillo Tursunpulatov, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Back in May, a 59-year-old motorcyclist died after a crash involving a Subaru on Frankford Avenue at Benner Street, as reported by FOX 29. Police said a northbound Suzuki motorcycle struck the gray Subaru Forester as it was making a U-turn.
Northeast Philadelphia's roadways have seen other fatal incidents as well. Police were separately investigating a fatal crash on Roosevelt Boulevard, where a pedestrian was struck and killed in the inner drive shortly after 6 a.m. on a Friday in the northbound lanes between Tyson and Cottman avenues, according to 6ABC. In that case, the driver remained at the scene, and police said the man struck was about 30 years old but had not been identified; that investigation also remained ongoing.
City's Broader Pedestrian Safety Picture
Philadelphia officials have pointed to some progress on traffic safety. Since speed cameras were installed on Roosevelt Boulevard, fatal and serious-injury crashes have decreased 21 percent and crashes involving pedestrians have decreased 50 percent, according to data cited by the City of Philadelphia. Even so, the city's own pedestrian-safety study has found that Philadelphia has a higher number of pedestrian fatalities per resident compared to similar U.S. cities, and the city has a goal of zero traffic fatalities.
No details connecting Wednesday's crash to those citywide figures have been established, and the circumstances that led to the man's death on Frankford Avenue remain under investigation. Hoodline will update this story as police release more information.
