A speeding driver ran a red light and fatally struck a bicyclist in a San Jose intersection Tuesday morning, according to police.
The driver, identified as a man, was taken into custody following the collision at Senter Road and East Capitol Expressway, police said.
Police Sgt. Jorge Garibay said the driver was behind the wheel of a red truck and speeding in the westbound direction of Capitol Expressway when he ran a red light and struck the bicyclist and another truck heading northbound on Senter Road.
“We know the red truck that was going west bound on Capitol Expressway ran a red light when it collided with a bicyclist. That bicyclist unfortunately suffered major injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene,” Sergeant Jorge Garibay of the San Jose Police Department said.
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The crash happened shortly after 7 a.m. in front of Andrew Hill High School.
Esther Barron lives nearby and said she worries about her grandkids' safety.
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“There’s so many kids that cross the street and the cars don't want to stop,” Barron said.
This is the 17th fatal traffic accident in San Jose this year; four have involved cyclists.
In 2022 there were 36 collisions in San Jose that either killed or seriously injured cyclists.
Which is why community activist Lilia Gaspar has been fighting to improve safety at this intersection.
“We’ve had a lot of accidents, a lot of fatalities off at Senter Road here especially at this intersection here at Senter and Capitol,” Gaspar said.
Now neighbors say they plan to take action to prevent another fatal accident starting with a community meeting about traffic safety on May 28.
An investigation is ongoing.
