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StumblePedestrian, 53, dies after entering car’s path on Desert Inn
Monday, Feb. 15, 2010 | 11:09 p.m.
Fatal collision
A pedestrian was killed late Monday when he entered the path of a car and was struck in the eastern Las Vegas Valley, authorities said.
Metro Police responded at 7:20 p.m. to the incident on East Desert Inn Road west of South Mojave Road. Investigators said the pedestrian, identified as a 53-year-old Las Vegas man, was jaywalking southbound across Desert Inn.
Police said the pedestrian got into the path of an eastbound 1997 Ford Thunderbird and was struck. The man was taken to University Medical Center's trauma unit, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.
The driver of the Thunderbird, Donald Polignone, 73, of Las Vegas, wasn't injured, police said.
This is the 13th traffic-related fatality this year in Metro Police jurisdiction. The victim's name wasn't being released Monday night pending notification of family.
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Sounds like the elderly driver's attention to the road and reflexes were not up to par. PEDESTRIANS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY!!!!
Pedestrians only have the right of way in a crosswalk.
Outside of a crosswalk they are obstacles.
Pederstians do not have the right of way when they are not in a crosswalk or crossing against the signal light. The pedestrian was jaywalking which is a petty offense subject to a fine.
I am all for restricting elderly drivers, but elderly or not, pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way. Jaywalking puts the innocent lives of the people driving at risk. I.E. swerving to avoid hitting pedestrian and hitting another car...
Walking is a right, driving is a privilege. But we all know that privilege beats right anymore.
I can't believe all of the posters here so far! What are ya gonna do if you see a pedestrian outside of a crosswalk, just run 'em over? Get real people! Pedestrians have the right of way!!!!!
If we see a pedestrian in the street we will do everything we can to avoid hitting them. But any intelligent being knows J-Walking is illegal. Pedestrians do not have the right of way outside of a crosswalk. There are rules of the road. If you dont obey them then all bets are off. Get real.
Well VC you better not take your belief that pedestrians don't have the right of way over into Arizona, because over there if a motorist hits a pedestrian NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES the motorist is at fault by law..
Sorry, environprotector, but vc is right. Of course, NO ONE goes out of their way to hit a pedestrian, but jay walking is illegal and when you do not cross in the crosswalk, you take your chances of getting hit because a driver is not going to slow down in the middle of a block as you would coming to a marked pedestrian cross walk. If everyone decided to jaywalk, there would be more accidents on the road from people slamming on their breaks when going 35-40 mph and the person is bound to get hit by one of those vehicles. My guess the driver will not get cited; he very well could have tried to stop but couldn't stop on a dime and hit the pedestrian anyway.
People DO NOT have the Right-of-way. Nevada Revised Statute 484.327.1 "Every pedestrian crossing a highway at any point other than at a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the highway". That is the law which is on the books. If you don't like it call your legislator. Meanwhile don't step in front of a car unless you are doing so legally.
The point that I am making here is that especially here in a heavily pedestrian tourist city,or even in heavily populated residential areas that there are going to be pedestrians everywhere. As a morally responsible driver, we must always be on the look out for every possibility of someone or something crossing or obstructing the route in front of us. Just getting into a vehicle a driving however recklessly the law permits is not morally proper and dangerous. Look at all the deaths on Las Vegas Boulevards and highways. I slow down even when the light is green ahead because I don't trust that some idiot is not gonna try to run through the intersection. It's called defensive driving. It's what separates the responsible driver from the other driver accidents waiting to happen all over the place out there!!!
I agtree with you enviroprotector that you cannot run someone over just for sport and there are naturally exceptions to who is to blame. If you are dead drunk and hit someone you will be charged with causing the death. However there are too many idiots walking who think they can step out into the path of a 4000# car traveling 60 miles an hour and that the driver will see them and stop.
I read about the pedestrian deaths all the time and at least half of the deaths are the fault of the pedestrian according to the police. They must follow the law. A lot of the other half involve substance use. Pedestrians need to watch out for themselves because right or wrong, you will still be dead.
Why are you people even debating this when you dont know exactly what happened. Of course you would avoid a jay walker, but maybe the guy bolted in front of the car before the driver could react..?? I was coming out of the 7-11 on eastern and flamingo and saw the most horrific thing. A guy tried to run across the street so he didnt miss the bus, but didnt look 1st, he got hit and was dead before he hit the ground and there was nothing the driver could do about it. I felt bad for both of them.