Police Seek Witnesses to Car’s Hitting Pedestrian

Police are searching for witnesses to a traffic accident Saturday in which a 76-year-old woman was struck by a car and fatally injured.

Authorities are trying to determine if the car’s driver, a 44-year-old Pacoima man, should be charged with vehicular manslaughter, said San Fernando Police Det. Lance Steaman.

Maria Plascencia of San Fernando was in a crosswalk on Truman Street at 4:30 p.m. when she was hit by a car making a right turn onto Truman from Wolfskill Street. Relatives told police that Plascencia had been walking home from church.

“We’re trying to gather information to decide if this was simply an unfortunate accident or if he was driving in a way that was criminally negligent,” Steaman said, adding that few witnesses have stepped forward.

The driver told police that he looked to his left to check for oncoming traffic before making a right turn on a red light. The driver also told police that he did not see Plascencia crossing the street until he had already made the turn, the detective said.

According to authorities, the driver immediately stopped his car to help Plascencia. “The driver did everything he was supposed to do,” Steaman said. “He stopped, he rendered aid.”

Steaman would not release the name of the driver, who has not been arrested.

Plascencia was treated for massive head injuries and a broken hip at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, where she died the next morning.

The Police Department is asking witnesses to call (818) 898-1286.