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Fairfax County sees three pedestrian deaths in three Days, investigations ongoing
Three pedestrians have been hit and killed in Fairfax County in just a matter of days. FOX 5's Homa Bash has the latest.
ARLINGTON, Va. - Three pedestrians have been hit and killed in Fairfax County in just a matter of days.
The first incident occurred on Thursday, Sept. 19 in Springfield around 9:30 p.m.
Fairfax County Police said Oscar Daniel Martinez Granados, 24, of Woodbridge, walked into the eastbound lanes of Old Keene Mill Road — not in a crosswalk — when he was hit by a driver and died at the hospital several days later.
On Saturday, Sept 21, police responded to Hunter Mill Rd and Lynnhaven Place for an 80-year-old woman who was hit in a crosswalk as a Ford F-150 truck turned into Oakton Shopping Center around 8:40 a.m. The victim, Choon Kook, 80, of Vienna, later died at the hospital.
On Saturday evening, around 8:20 p.m., detectives said that Tracy Roane, 56, of Centreville, was walking in the northbound lanes of Route 29, not in a crosswalk, when he was hit and killed near White Post Road by a Nissan SUV and then several other vehicles driving by.
FCPD is investigating if speed was a factor for the driver and if alcohol was a factor for the pedestrian.
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According to Fairfax Families for Safe Streets, there have been 15 pedestrian deaths in Fairfax County so far in 2024 and nearly three dozen serious injury crashes.
"It's hard to feel safe," said Chris French, president of Fairfax Families for Safe Streets. "A lot of the crosswalks we do have, if you can find one, are still signaled in the way that the signal encourages you to walk when the driver still have the ability to turn through the crosswalk."
French said they need meaningful and decisive action to stem the fatalities and serious injury crashes they are seeing.
"This is all a result of roadway design. I think that has been focused on moving vehicles efficiently and not moving people. So the roadway designs don't give people walking, biking, the type of access and safety they require," French added.
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay told Fox 5 that the Board has committed more than $100 million for their 'Safe Streets for All' program since 2022, which includes bike and pedestrian safety initiatives like road diets, better lighting, crosswalks, sidewalks and more.
"That's not the only money we've put into bike and ped projects. This is in addition to the baseline that's already in the county budget and this was specifically tied to that program to ramp these projects up quicker so that we could achieve the Safe Streets for All goal," McKay said, adding that they have funded more than 80 percent of the original commitment.
But in addition to infrastructure investments, McKay said that they need the public's help, both drivers and pedestrians working together.
"We cannot let these people's memories be lost because, at the end of the day, human life was lost, and for whatever reason, we all have to take a minute and think, 'What can we be doing individually to prevent this from happening?' McKay said. "If you're driving, slow down. If you're on your phone, put it down and pay attention. If you're a pedestrian, know what the pedestrian laws are. Use crosswalks. If you're out at night, make sure you're wearing bright clothing, so people can see you."
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McKay said that on Tuesday, the Board is voting on an additional $28 million to go toward bike and pedestrian safety measures - the money is leftover funds from the previous budget year.
According to the Fairfax County Health Department, Black and Hispanic populations have the highest rate of emergency room visits and deaths due to pedestrian crashes.
Fairfax County Police said that at this point, they are still investigating all three incidents and no one has been charged in any of the cases yet.
Check out more pedestrian safety data from the Fairfax County Health Department below: