Officials urge driver, pedestrian safety after fatal accident

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - Laredo Police and the Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDOT) are offering safety tips for drivers and pedestrians following the death of a man who was struck by a car while crossing the street.

The male victim was reportedly struck by a car in South Laredo around 3 a.m. on Thursday, June 5.

A woman, who preferred to remain anonymous, was on her way to work and reported seeing several police cars in the northbound lane of the highway, still investigating the cause of the accident hours later. She stated, “Later on through the day, I found out that there was a tragic death.”

According to the Laredo Police Department, an 18-year-old driving a black Kia Optima allegedly struck a man attempting to cross the street.

“In this particular case, the victim was taken to the hospital, where he unfortunately and tragically died after he arrived at the hospital as a result of his injuries,” said Joe Baeza with Laredo Police.

Baeza noted that the teen driver remained at the scene and showed no signs of being drunk or under the influence. Additionally, after reviewing surveillance video of the accident, police believe the driver was not at fault.

“The indications, according to the report, are that the vehicle had the right of way. He had the green light, and the pedestrian crossed the highway, a dark highway at that point, not at the crosswalk,” Baeza said.

Baeza mentioned that earlier this year, someone was struck by a car while crossing the street in a similar manner to this incident.

According to Raul Leal with TxDOT, “I know in Zapata you probably have a long distance between crosswalks, but crossing in the middle of the street is what we call jay walking, and it’s against the law to do it.“

He mentioned that drivers have a responsibility to follow the laws while driving, and that pedestrians also need to do their part.

“We need everybody to use the crosswalks, and I understand that this happened during the nighttime, so we need everybody to wear some reflective clothing. If it’s not on the clothing, maybe the shoes can be reflective, but they really need to do their part to be seen,” Leal said.

Currently, the victim’s identity has not been released, and authorities report that the driver is unlikely to face charges.

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