Pedestrian killed in Merced hit-and-run crash, police say

Police are investigating a fatal hit-and-run accident in which a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle in Merced on Wednesday.

At about 5:21 a.m., officers responded to the area of R Street between Loughborough Drive and Buena Vista Drive after a woman was found in the roadway, according to Merced Police Sgt. Nathan McKinnon.

Police said the arriving officers located a woman lying in the road suffering from injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle. McKinnon said the woman was spotted by passing motorists who stopped and called police.

Paramedics attempted life saving measures but were unsuccessful, and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. McKinnon said the woman was not near a crosswalk and it is unclear what she was doing in the roadway at the time of the crash.

Authorities said it appears the vehicle that struck the woman was traveling south on R Street. After speaking with witnesses, investigators are working to collect video surveillance from the area in an attempt to identify a suspect vehicle.

“Preliminary information is it’s some sort of full-size pickup truck,” said McKinnon.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact Officer Matt Calcagno at 209-769-8885 or the Merced Police Department Dispatch at 209-385-6905.