Vigil held for victim of hit and run in SF's Bernal Heights

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - A vigil was held on Thursday for the victim of a hit-and-run crash in San Francisco's Bernal Heights neighborhood. San Francisco police said the crash happened around 3:40 a.m. on Monday near the 3400 block of Mission Street. According to pedestrian safety group, Walk San Francisco, the victim was 41 years old. 

"This is another person in our community lost to traffic violence." said Walk SF executive director Jodie Madeiros. "They’re looking for the driver, they’re looking at the camera footage in the area."   

Police said the severely injured pedestrian was rushed to a nearby hospital where he died.

"I got goosebumps when I heard this," said Tony Mulaani, who owns a restaurant just steps from where the crash happened. "Traffic here is very fast. They run the red light."

"As you can see, Mission Street is full of kids, families," said Madeiros. "This is a residential corridor, and we need to treat it as a residential corridor. You have the bus, you have people crossing the street, you have the grocery store. So, it’s not a highway, it’s not a freeway, this is a neighborhood street."

Speed cameras, dedicated bike lanes, and turning restrictions are some of the measures the City has implemented in certain parts of San Francisco to increase pedestrian safety.

"Designing our streets for bike and pedestrians and people taking the bus is the best way we’re going to get to zero fatalities and really bring down the serious injuries," said Madeiros.  

Police are asking anyone with information or perhaps video of the accident to reach out.