Pedestrian dies after vehicle hits him on Interstate 80 in North Sacramento, CHP says
A pedestrian died after he was struck by a vehicle early Wednesday on Interstate 80 in north Sacramento, the California Highway Patrol reported.
The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office on Wednesday afternoon released the name of Abel Villegas, 36, of Sacramento as the pedestrian who was struck by the vehicle in the westbound lanes of I-80, just west of Raley Boulevard.
The fatal crash was reported about 1:45 a.m. Wednesday. Officers arrived at the scene on I-80 near Raley Boulevard and found Villegas who had been struck by a Jeep Patriot, according to a CHP news release.
Villegas died soon after being struck. The CHP said the driver of the Jeep Patriot, a 59 year-old Sacramento woman, immediately pulled over to the right side of I-80 and fully cooperated with investigators at the scene.
The westbound lanes of I-80 at Raley Boulevard were closed for about two hours as officers continued to investigate at the scene. Officer A.J. McTaggart, a spokesman for the CHP’s North Sacramento office, said investigators on Wednesday afternoon were still trying to determine how the pedestrian got onto the freeway.
The cause of the collision remained under investigation Wednesday, the CHP said, and officers did not suspect the Jeep driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs when the vehicle struck the pedestrian.
Investigators asked anyone who witnesses the collision or has additional information to call McTaggart at 916-348-2300.
