Drivers On Edge After Deadly Week On Highway 99 In Sacramento
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — It was a deadly week on one Sacramento highway.
Three pedestrians were hit within days along Highway 99.
The incidents are leaving drivers on edge with many wondering why anyone would walk along the freeway in the first place and if the drivers will face any consequences?
Tangie Green was still shaken by a horrifying scene that happened on the highway right in front of her eyes. Someone was hit and killed while trying to cross 99.
"They wasn't (sic) even supposed to be out here. Who in their right mind would walk out there and get hit?" Green said.
And that person was actually one of three people hit and killed this week while walking near or even trying to cross the freeway in South Sacramento.
"Pretty unfortunate, I know it happened like two days in a row," said Roman Briseno who works nearby.
"It's rare I've ever seen someone without remorse in a vehicular homicide," said Sacramento Attorney Donald Heller.
Heller has represented several drivers involved in pedestrian accidents, and while the drivers were acquitted of any charges, they were ultimately left traumatized.
"Having actually seen the mangled body of the person he had hit, it had a huge emotional effect on him," he said.
We asked the California Highway Patrol if the drivers could face any consequences?
"No, not specifically on these last three that just occurred," Officer Mark Leavitt said. "The pedestrians are not allowed to be in the road on the freeway. You should be using a crosswalk and crossing safely when it's safe to do so."
Officer Leavitt said all three drivers stayed at the scene with no drugs or alcohol involved. There were no criminal consequences, but there was an emotional impact that could be just as damaging.
"But the driver still in those cases has remorse. You can't be a normal human being and not feel the death of someone even though you were not at fault, but you were driving the car," Heller said.
CHP will ticket you if they find you walking on the freeway. It's illegal and, obviously, dangerous.