MODESTO, Calif. — One girl was killed and another was left fighting for her life after a vehicle struck them while they were crossing a street Friday night, according to the Modesto Police Department.
The collision occurred around 8:50 p.m. on the 1100 block of Coffee Road, officials said in a statement. Both victims, identified as juveniles, were walking inside a marked crosswalk when an automobile heading southbound hit them.
Police officers stationed nearby at Thomas Downey High School were the first to reach the crash site, according to department reports. Finding the two injured girls on the roadway, the officers initiated CPR and continued emergency life-saving efforts until paramedics arrived to take over their care.
Both victims were rushed to area hospitals. One of the girls later died from her injuries, while the other remained hospitalized in critical condition through the weekend, authorities reported.
Witness Recalls Scene of the Collision
Residents living along Coffee Road described a chaotic and terrifying scene immediately following the impact. Jalen Galvin, whose home sits steps from the crosswalk, told local television station KCRA that he was relaxing inside when he heard a sudden crash.
“I was laying down on the couch and my door was open, and I heard a big old boom,” Galvin told KCRA. “I heard girls screaming, so I ran outside, and I saw the car right here and then I saw the two girls over here and then I saw the shoes over here.”
Galvin called 911 immediately as neighbors rushed outside. He noted that emergency responders arrived in less than five minutes. Galvin expressed deep worry about vehicle speeds in the area, pointing out that numerous children live throughout the neighborhood.
“I would say drive safe and just do the speed limit and watch out for the pedestrians because this case is a different story,” Galvin told KCRA.
Police Plan Heightened Enforcement
The motorist involved in the collision remained at the location and cooperated with responding officers, police said. Investigators conducted an evaluation and determined that the driver showed no signs of impairment.
The deadly incident occurred amid a troubling rise in roadway collisions throughout the city, officials said. Modesto police noted that multiple severe traffic incidents had taken place across the community during the prior week.
Capt. Chris Adams of the Modesto Police Department addressed the public on social media, expressing frustration over the recent wave of collisions.
“These incidents are tragic, deeply disturbing and quite frankly unacceptable,” Adams said in a statement released by the department.
Adams stressed that the community cannot permit serious collisions to become a routine occurrence on city streets. In response, police officials announced plans to implement an aggressive enforcement push aimed at curbing dangerous travel behaviors across Modesto.
“We will be conducting maximum enforcement, focusing not only on dangerous driving behaviors but also traffic violations involving pedestrians, bicyclists and electric bikes,” Adams said.
Investigation Continues
The collision forced officers to temporarily shut down Coffee Road between East Fairmont Avenue and Brighton Avenue while collision investigators documented the area and gathered physical evidence.
Traffic investigators are continuing to examine the exact factors that contributed to the deadly crash, according to police. Detectives are canvassing surrounding properties and reviewing nearby security and surveillance footage to piece together the moments leading up to the collision. As of Sunday, police had not released the identities of the two victims or announced any citations or criminal charges in connection with the incident.
