Pedestrian in critical condition after being hit by car in downtown Sacramento

A pedestrian is in critical condition after being hit by a car on North 16th Street and McCormack Avenue on Saturday afternoon, according to the Sacramento Police Department.

The accident took place around 2:30 p.m., according to a social media post by officers. The northbound thoroughfare connects downtown to Highway 160, which leads to the North Sacramento and Arden areas.

Chris Orozco, owner of Steel Donkey Motorcycle Repair down the street from the crash, said his back was turned away from the street when he heard a loud crunch and people screaming.

“I came to the scene and someone was putting a blanket over the body and the guy was clearly not deceased,” Orozco said. The vehicle that struck the man had already sped away before Orozco could see it.

The man hit by the car was “probably in his 60s” and homeless given the bags he was carrying, Orozco said. “It probably takes him forever to cross the street. Nobody has patience for it.”

Cars driving north on 16th Street frequently drive 60 mph, well above the speed limit. The swift traffic makes it all the more dangerous for the homeless to walk around in the area near Loaves and Fishes.

“That’s just the nature of the beast on 16th Street,” Orozco said.

Traffic sensors indicated traffic was backed up to F Street and had clogged adjacent roadways for several hours.

Details about the car or its driver were not available.

This story was originally published August 24, 2019 at 3:34 PM.