Baby killed, 2 hurt in San Jose after driver strikes trio in car

SAN JOSE, Calif. - A driver in San Jose fatally struck a baby and injured a little girl and woman late Tuesday night, marking the 27th traffic death in the city this year. 

The collision was reported at about 11:40 p.m. at the intersection of King Road and Ocala Avenue, which was closed for hours.

Police said the driver of the 2004 Chevy Tahoe traveling southbound on King Road approaching a green light at Havana Drive when he struck the woman and the two children - who are younger than 5 and younger than 5 months old – who were crossing King Road in a westbound direction outside any marked crosswalk. 

Police said that alcohol and speed are not factors in this accident. 

Andres Elizalda said that he saw the woman carrying the baby in a car seat across the street. And then he saw the woman, unconscious, and the baby on the ground.

"I'm telling her in Spanish and in English, ‘Lady, lady, wake up.’ Go get your baby. She needs you," he said. 

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San Jose police said the driver of the car stayed on scene, even after the baby was pronounced dead on scene. The girl and the woman were taken to the hospital and are expected to recover.

Elizalda said he often sees people driving up to 85 mph in this 35 mph zone. 

 A neighbor who lives in the area said the street where the three were hit has become increasingly more dangerous.

"Look what happened," the neighbor named Veronica said. "Look, innocent lives. Innocent lives. We don’t know what happened. It's crazy. It's said. I don't know these people but it's sad. I have kids. I have grandkids. It's awful. People just need to slow down."

In an interview with KTVU on Wednesday, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan acknowledged that traffic deaths are a problem in the city. 

He said he supports road improvements, the state-level speed safety camera program and adding more patrol officers to the streets. 

And as a parent of two himself, the baby's death is just "devastating."