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A 4-year-old girl was killed in a fatal crash in San Francisco. The girl was being pushed in a stroller by her parents when they were struck by a car. The driver, a 71-year-old woman, stayed on the scene and has been arrested for multiple charges. The incident has sparked concerns about pedestrian safety in the area. ABC7 San Francisco reported
The incident in San Francisco that resulted in the tragic death of a 4-year-old girl has revealed new details. According to Officer Robert Rueca from the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), when officers arrived at the scene, they found three pedestrians who had been struck by a vehicle. Among the injured were a young girl and an adult male, both of whom were promptly attended to by the officers and transported to the hospital due to the severity of their injuries. It was later confirmed that the 4-year-old girl was being pushed in a stroller by her parents, who were visiting San Francisco and attempting to cross the intersection of King and 4th streets when the accident occurred.
The devastating incident has left the local community deeply shaken, with residents leaving flowers at the site where the family was hit. Concerns regarding safety have been expressed by many, including a traffic control officer who revealed that one of his colleagues had to take time off work due to the traumatic nature of the scene. The SFPD has not disclosed specific details regarding the cause of the collision, but they have confirmed that the driver remained at the scene. The driver, identified as 71-year-old Karen Cartagena, has been arrested by the SFPD’s traffic collision investigation unit and is facing charges of not yielding to pedestrians and vehicular manslaughter.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has conducted preliminary investigations, which suggest that the accident was not a result of speeding but rather a failure to yield while turning. According to SFMTA data, there have been 12 collisions and 19 injured victims at the intersection of 4th and King between 2019 and 2023, with Tuesday’s incident being the first fatality. The intersection continues to be a cause for concern, as multiple close calls were witnessed within a short span of time on Wednesday, with cars encroaching on pedestrians’ right of way and speeding through the junction.
Janelle Wong, the executive director for San Francisco’s Bicycle Coalition, has called for changes to be made to the intersection, emphasizing that it falls within the city’s high injury network for Vision Zero. Wong believes that pedestrians should be given priority and that cars should have a red light or yield when pedestrians are crossing.
The SFPD has confirmed that impairment due to drugs or alcohol does not appear to be a contributing factor in the incident..
