A 48-year-old pedestrian died over the weekend after being struck by a car in a late night collision in Laguna Beach last Wednesday, May 21, the second pedestrian fatality this year, police said.
Regan Hess, identified by police as a member of the local homeless population, suffered head trauma after being struck by a motorist who failed to see him crossing Coast Highway near Mountain Road about 10:29 p.m., Sgt. Louise Callus said.
Since 2009, five pedestrians have died in accidents involving vehicles within the city limits, according to local police statistics. Pedestrian fatalities decreased 3.9 percent statewide to 612 in 2012 from 633 in 2011, says an annual report from the state Office of Traffic and Safety.
In last week’s accident, the 21-year-old driver, a Laguna Beach resident, stopped and remained at the scene, Callus said. Investigators determined the driver was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, she said.
Earlier this year, another homeless man was severely injured by a hit and run motorist in Laguna Canyon. The driver has not been apprehended but the victim has since recovered, Callus said.
