Local News in Brief : Sunset Beach : Woman Killed Trying to Cross Coast Highway

A 71-year-old pedestrian was killed Thursday morning while crossing Pacific Coast Highway in Sunset Beach, the California Highway Patrol said.

County coroner’s officials identified the victim as Helvi Helsten of Bellflower. After crossing the southbound traffic lane, Helsten apparently stopped at the center divider at the intersection of Admiralty Drive, then the pedestrian light turned red, CHP spokeswoman Leslie Hill said.

According to witnesses, Helsten waited at the center divider while a few northbound vehicles left the intersection, then stepped into a traffic lane while the pedestrian light was still red.

Richard Thomas Dollbaum, 25, of Huntington Beach was traveling northbound in a car at 40 to 45 m.p.h., Hill said.

“As he approached the intersection, he had the green light. He said he looked to the left, and all of a sudden the woman was right in front of him,” Hill said, adding that Helsten was just 3 feet into the fast lane when she was struck. “Apparently, she just didn’t see him coming.”