Woman killed, child injured after SUV runs into them on Las Palmas Avenue in Sacramento
A woman was killed and a child was injured after they were struck by a vehicle near Las Palmas Elementary School Sunday afternoon, Sacramento police said.
Officers were called out just before 3:15 p.m. to the 500 block of Las Palmas Avenue for reports of a vehicle collision involving a pedestrian, police said. On scene, they discovered a woman and an approximately 4-year-old child that had been hit by an SUV.
The woman was taken to a nearby hospital with major injuries, where she ended up dying from her injuries, police said. The child suffered minor injuries and was hospitalized, according to officials, but is expected to recover.
On Monday, the Sacramento County Coroner's Office identified the woman as Maria Araceli Pena, 48, of Sacramento.
Witnesses told CBS News Sacramento that the collision happened in a grassy field between soccer games that were taking place in the area. The game that was slated to take place in the hours after the crash was canceled.
A small group began to form Sunday night at the scene of the crash — including the coach of a youth soccer team, Gael Vazquez.
"We don't really know what happened, but we, as a team, try to come here and show our support," Vazquez said. He added that the woman was the mother of the child that was also struck by vehicle, as well as a 10-year-old who plays for Vazquez's team.
Traffic safety advocacy nonprofit Slow Down Sacramento said that as vehicles continue to increase in size, they become more dangerous.
"Our cars are getting bigger and bigger, and we depend on them a lot. They're almost like an extension of ourselves," Isaac Gonzalez, a member of the nonprofit, said. "But these big cars, heavy cars, are producing more mayhem, violence and injuries than ever before."
The involved vehicle and driver remained at the scene of the crash, police said, and the crash remains under investigation. Police have not said if the driver will face any charges resulting from the crash.
