Intersection Where Elderly Man Was Killed Has History Of Crashes

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The California Highway Patrol continues to investigate a deadly hit and run that happened at the intersection of Palm Street and Arnold Avenue in McClellan Park Tuesday.

The crash killed William Hester, a Vietnam veteran who was crossing the street with his wife, Deborah. Hester pushed his wife out of the way and was struck by a driver, who has not been identified.

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This is the second pedestrian hit and run crash at the intersection of Palm Street and Arnold Avenue in two years. CBS13 found at least one accident a year at that intersection, every year for the last five years.

According to crash data we obtained from the CHP, there have been eight accidents at that intersection since 2009, five injury accidents since 2015 alone. At least two were pedestrian hit and runs like Hester's.

The intersection did not make the list of Sacramento's Most Dangerous Intersections, identified in a recent study, but we reached out to the lead researcher, Brian Beltz, who noted it is unusual to see this many crashes at an intersection like this that is not significantly busy.

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He pointed to the long stretches of road with no traffic control devices, pedestrian crossings, or meidan.

We also reached out to the Sacramento County Transportation to find out what, if anything, is being done to make this intersection safer.

They told us they have not received any requests for safety studies on the intersection. CBS13 has forwarded them the accident data and they said they will now be looking into it.