Truck Hits, Kills Professional Skateboarder Pablo Ramirez In San Francisco SoMa
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A dump truck struck and killed Pablo Ramirez, a professional skateboarder, in San Francisco's South of Market district Tuesday afternoon, according to authorities. The incident happened at about 12:16 p.m Tuesday on the 100 block of 7th St. near Mission St. according to San Francisco police. The truck remained on the scene as police conducted an investigation.
"Officers who arrived on the scene found a commercial vehicle that was involved in a collision and a skateboarder who was suffering from life-threatening injuries," said San Francisco police spokesman officer Robert Rueca.
Medics summoned to the crash pronounced the skateboarder dead at the scene. The San Francisco Medical Examiner identified Ramirez, 26, a San Francisco resident.
Streets were closed in the area during the investigation which will involve eyewitnesses and video surveillance cameras.
"We have no confirmed reports that the skateboarder was holding onto the truck (at the time of the accident)," Rueca said.
The driver remained at the scene and was cooperating with the investigation. Rueca said drugs nor alcohol appeared to be a factor in the collision.
Ramirez was a member of GX1000, a famous San Francisco skating group recently profiled in GQ magazine. Ramirez also volunteered with Shawn Connolly's organization, San Francisco Skate Club mentoring teens.
"He was taking his time out to skate with the kids and they looked up to him, and it's something that people don't have to do--volunteer their time," Connolly told KPIX.
A crowd of Ramirez's friends gathered near the crash scene, sobbing and mourning his loss. Ramirez's death marks the second in six weeks south of Market street. On March 8th, a bicyclist was hit and killed on a stretch of Howard that lacked bike lanes.
"I've been a skateboarder for 34 years and I've lived in San Francisco for 24 years and in that time the streets have just gotten more and more dangerous for pedestrians and skateboarders. This stuff shouldn't happen, you know," Connolly said.
