Woman hit by car in Squirrel Hill hospitalized in critical condition

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A woman remains in critical condition at the hospital after she was hit by the driver of a car in Squirrel Hill on Thursday afternoon. 

Sources told KDKA-TV the woman is 34 years old, and people who live in the neighborhood say they feared for the worst after the woman was hit crossing the street at Wilkins Avenue and Beechwood Boulevard.

"It's a tragedy," Ann Belser said. "Everyone in the neighborhood just is worried about who it might be."

They're a tight-knit community, so when one person heard the news, they called their neighbors to check in. It's how Muge Finkel found out while she was on her way home.

"It was blocked off. There were several cop cars and a hazard team," Finkel said.

Pittsburgh police said it happened around 3 p.m. When first responders arrived, they found a woman with multiple injuries and transported her to the hospital. The driver remained at the scene.

Belser said a crossing guard saw the crash.

"She was really broken up, everybody was. The driver was distraught," Belser said.

Belser said a witness told her the driver had a green arrow, turned and hit the woman. Officials have yet to confirm the details, but what's clear is it's a complex, five-way intersection, and those who live in the area have been concerned for years.

"Sadly, I wasn't surprised, because we are always worried about that crosswalk," Finkel said.

With both a short turning signal and a long crosswalk, they always make sure to look all ways multiple times.

"You never have a break as a pedestrian," Belser said.

City Councilwoman Erika Strassburger said she hears them.

"We do all we can by adding traffic calming as we can, redoing the signals. What we really need to focus on now is enforcement," Strassburger said.

Residents just hope more can be done.

"There has to be some way to slow people down," Belser said.

Strassburger said in her time in office, she hasn't experienced anything like this at this intersection. The crash remains under investigation.

Note: A previous version of this story said a child had been hit. It has been updated to say a woman was hit.