A 55-year-old truck driver is dead after being struck by a vehicle while walking across U.S. 395 in California, according to the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident, according to a news release, occurred at approximately 7:14 p.m., on Friday, Oct. 14.
“The driver from Stockton, Calif. had parked his semi-truck along the southbound shoulder of U.S. 395 near Lee’s Frontier Gas Station, in the town of Lone Pine,” the release stated. “The truck driver exited his vehicle and began walking east across U.S. 395 toward a food truck located in a dirt parking lot located east of the highway.”
Driver failed to see pedestrian
The release went on to state that as the unnamed truck driver was walking across the northbound lanes, a 72-year-old man from Cambria, Calif. was driving a BMW X5 northbound along U.S. 395 at a high rate of speed when he failed to see the pedestrian walking across the highway.
“Due to the driver’s excessive speed, he was unable to avoid the pedestrian,” according to the release. “The BMW struck the pedestrian within the northbound number two lane. The pedestrian came to rest along the northbound shoulder of US 395. The BMW sustained major damage and it came to rest just north of the crash scene.”
Lone Pine is located roughly 118 miles from Pahrump.
Personnel from Inyo County Sheriff’s Department, Lone Pine Volunteer Fire Department, and Caltrans responded to the crash scene, where the pedestrian succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the BMW was not injured.
The identity of the pedestrian has not been released by the Inyo County Coroner’s Office.
“The California Highway Patrol wants to remind all motorists to follow posted speed limits and stay alert for pedestrians, especially when traveling through towns along Highway 395,” according to the release.
Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes