In response to the record number of pedestrian fatalities in San Jose this year, residents of the Washington neighborhood will host a candlelight vigil Monday night.
The group, organized by Catholic Charities and California WALKS, will meet 6 p.m. at the corner of Oak and Vine streets - where a 3-year old boy, Elijah Alvitre, was killed on Nov. 24.
This has been the deadliest year for San Jose pedestrians in seven years: 24 pedestrians were killed by cars in San Jose in 2013 out of a total of 39 traffic fatalities.
Several groups in the neighborhood have called for more traffic enforcement and traffic calming devices.
"What we need is action from the city...onto streets as soon as possible," Mark Lopez of Catholic Charities said.
Some of the more recent and tragic stories include the deaths of 3-year-old Elijah, who was struck while he sat in his stroller, and hours later, a 14-year-old student at James Lick High School, who was hit in front of her high school on North White Road. She had been talking on her cell phone Sunday when she was struck by the driver of a minivan.
San Jose Pedestrian Fatalities By Year: (Source: SJPD)
- 2013 - 24 (Year-to-date)
- 2012 - 12
- 2011 - 20
- 2010 - 7
- 2009 - 14
- 2008 - 16
