Latest San Jose hit-and-run pushes pedestrian fatality county to 21

SAN JOSE, Calif. - San Jose police are investigating the city’s latest hit-and-run. 

A woman was killed crossing a busy street early Tuesday on Jackson Ave. just north of Interstate 680 and the driver fled the scene.

San Jose police say the woman was crossing Jackson Avenue from west to east when she was struck and killed. Police are now asking anyone who may have seen this incident – or possibly may have any video – to come forward.

At the scene of the fatal accident were some fresh police investigative markings and a shopping cart off to the side of the road full of personal belongings.

While police are not identifying the victim, nor saying if any of the items are connected to the victim or the crash, they do say the victim was not in a marked crosswalk at the time of the collision.

"When officers arrived they discovered that a female had been struck by an unknown vehicle. Possibly a 2018 to 2022 Honda Accord.

"That driver remains unidentified and is not in custody," said Office Steve Aponte, a spokesman for the department. 

The incident was called into police around 4:45 a.m. morning and resulted in an investigation which closed Jackson Avenue for several hours.

This also marks an alarming increase in pedestrian fatalities in the City of San Jose.

So far this year there have been 33 fatal traffic-related fatalities resulting in the deaths of 21 pedestrians.

At the same time last year police recorded 25 traffic fatalities with 8 pedestrian deaths.

"Obviously the reason behind that is many factors," said Aponte. "As a group and members of the public we want to encourage drivers to follow the rules of the road and make sure they are looking out for pedestrians as well as bicyclists and motorcyclists."

Back at the crash scene resident Francisco Lopez says it not unusual to see vehicles speeding along this stretch of Jackson Avenue despite recently installed signs asking drivers do slow down.

Lopez says he is also not surprised that the driver did not stop.

"Because people that act stupid are going to continue acting stupid. If you are speeding, and you are not supposed to, and you hit someone you are just going to take off and hopefully they find him because there’s a lot of elderly people," Lopez said. 

San Jose police say they are paying extra attention to traffic-related violations right now.

Beat officers are writing more tickets even between regular calls. The police department says the goal is to try to change behavior and have safer roadways.