At the monthly SFPD Ingleside Community Meeting, the Glen Park News asked about the status of the investigation. Officer James George, substituting for Captain Amy Hurwitz, said the information is still scanty. The case has been turned over to the Traffic Company, a unit of SFPD. Due to staffing shortages in that department, it’s necessary to go in person to their office at 850 Bryant Street to get updates on a case under investigation.
Even so, Officer George said that it’s too early in the investigation to add any details. The accident happened less than a week ago and it generally takes two weeks or so to investigate a traffic accident. Since the accident resulted in a fatality, it could take a month or more. It’s a very long, thorough investigation.Thus neighbors are urged to be patient and not draw any premature conclusions.
KTVU obtained surveillance video of the moment just before the accident, with some blurring. Warning: video is disturbing
“The accident was an unfortunate event. It’s still too early to know if there was carelessness involved– as of right now it doesn’t appear to be anything mischievous, nothing like that,” said Officer George.
Details on the victim are likewise sparse. All that is known is that it was a 61-year old woman. It’s not known if she lived in Glen Park or was passing through on a commute or an errand. No details on the driver are available either.
One question many neighbors are asking is if the driver made the right turn on a red light or a green light. “That I have no idea,” Officer George said. It’s up to the Traffic Company to release that information when they are ready to.
Today, on the corner outside the Glen Park Market where the tragic accident occurred, there’s a flower memorial attached to a light pole, as well as a sign from WalkSF announcing a pedestrian death at the location.
Glen Park resident Marian Bengal, of Chilton Avenue, was at the spot today on an errand. “I’m looking where the accident was, and I’m seeing there are things that could obscure a driver’s vision. For example, across that street [outside the BART station], there’s that big green utility box that people stand behind and then step out from behind it.”
The only remediation measure the Glen Park News is aware of happening right away is repainting the faded stripes in the crosswalk. A “pedestrian scramble,” in which all traffic on all sides stops at the same time leaving the intersection totally free for pedestrians, was studied about a decade ago. It was deemed unworkable due to the traffic snarl it would cause on the main thoroughfares and then send traffic onto residential streets in the neighborhood.
Results of the initial traffic study in 2015 were posted in the Glen Park News.
One thing is clear–the Diamond/Bosworth intersection must be studied again. Glen Park has become busier since the last traffic study. It’s time for a change, for safety’s sake.