Pedestrian dies after being struck by vehicle at Merced intersection, police say

Authorities are investigating after a pedestrian was struck and killed by vehicle in Merced on Friday.

At about 9:18 a.m., officers responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle in the area of M Street and West 15th Street, according to the Merced Police Department. Merced Police Sgt. Nathan McKinnon said officers arrived on the scene and found a 64-year-old Merced man with head trauma lying in the middle of the intersection. He was transported to an area trauma center, where he died of his injuries.

Police said the vehicle that struck the pedestrian was a Ford F-150 driven by a Merced man traveling east on West 15th Street. According to police, witnesses reported the driver of the Ford came to a stop at the four-way intersection before to the collision. McKinnon said it appears the pedestrian stepped into the path of the truck while trying to cross to the north side of the street at the same time the driver proceeded through the intersection.

Authorities said the driver of the vehicle remained on scene and cooperated with the investigation. Police said speed does not appear to be a factor, and the cause of the collision remains under investigation.

Anyone with information regarding the crash is asked to contact Sgt. Nathan McKinnon at 209-769-6996 or by email at mckinnon@cityofmerced.org.