Caltrans employee killed in hit-and-run was landscape worker and mother, agency says

Officials identified the Caltrans employee killed in a Friday hit-in-run near Vacaville as a 51-year-old Vallejo woman who worked in landscape maintenance.

A driver struck and killed Quanda McGadney on westbound I-80 Friday morning, according to the department.

A news release said McGadney was hit at about 10 a.m. and died at the scene.

The driver fled, but was found and arrested Friday, California Highway Patrol spokesman Raul Gonzalez said.

The CHP identified the suspected driver of the white Mazda 3 that hit McGadney as 31-year-old Taje Jakkar Holliman of San Francisco. Holliman was booked into Solano County Jail on Friday afternoon, according to the county log.

“Jennifer and I were saddened to learn of the death of Caltrans Maintenance Worker Quanda McGadney, a dedicated public servant to the state for more than 18 years,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said. “We extend our deepest sympathies to her family, friends and Caltrans colleagues for their loss.”

McGadney joined Caltrans in 2018, the agency said. She is survived by her 9-year-old daughter, Nairobi, and her two sisters, Priscilla Stevenson and Candice McGadney.

Charges against Holliman will include vehicular manslaughter, the agency said.

McGadney is the first Caltrans District 4 employee to die on the job since 2017, according to the agency. The news release said she is the 37th in the history of District 4 and the 190th Caltrans worker to lose their life on the job since 1921.

“This tragedy is particularly painful, coming so close to our workers memorial service just a little over a month ago, and drives home how dangerous our work on California’s roadways can be,” Caltrans acting director Steven Keck said.

This story was originally published June 4, 2022 at 11:15 AM.