SANTA MONICA—On Thursday, March 16, at approximately 6:15 a.m., the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) responded to a call regarding a traffic collision involving a pedestrian. The accident occurred at the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Hill Street in Santa Monica.

“Upon arrival, officers discovered a pedestrian in the roadway with significant injuries,” said Lieutenant Saul Rodriquez of the SMPD. “The involved vehicle along with the driver were on scene when officers arrived.”

Santa Monica Fire Department Paramedics arrived at the scene and treated the pedestrian. She was transported to a local hospital for further treatment. The driver of the vehicle, who remained at the scene, was uninjured.

SMPD’s Major Accident Response Team conducted an investigation, which revealed that the pedestrian had been walking in the crosswalk at Lincoln Boulevard and Hill Street. She was struck by a vehicle traveling northbound along Lincoln.

The driver cooperated with the police. The investigation did not reveal any indications that the driver was impaired.

“Unfortunately, the pedestrian succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital in the late morning,” said Lt. Rodriguez.

Lincoln Boulevard and Hill Street were closed until after 7 a.m. on Thursday.

The accident marked the first pedestrian death in Santa Monica in over a year. Since March 2016, there have been a total of 109 collisions involving pedestrians, 35 of which occurred in 2017 alone. Police statistics show that the frequency of pedestrian collisions along Santa Monica’s streets is rising.

In June 2015, the SMPD launched its Bike and Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operations to watch for traffic violators and reduce accidents. Santa Monica is considering a proposal to permanently close Lincoln Boulevard to automobiles.

The investigation for Thursday’s collision is ongoing. Investigators are interested in speaking with anyone who was in the area at the time of the collision. People with additional information are asked to contact Investigator Jason Olson at (310) 458-8954, Sergeant Joseph Cortez at (310) 458-8713, or the Santa Monica Police Department at (310) 458-8495.