3 Pedestrians Die in Separate Accidents

Three people, including two children, died Tuesday and another person was seriously injured in separate accidents in which pedestrians were struck by cars, authorities said.

A woman and her granddaughter were fatally struck as they jaywalked on El Segundo Boulevard east of Avalon Boulevard in Willowbrook, California Highway Patrol Officer Spencer Ammons said.

Esther Cruz, in her 50s, died at the scene, Ammons said. Her 7-year-old granddaughter, whose name was not released, died hours later at a hospital, he said.

Cruz was visiting from Mexico and was walking to Magic Johnson Park with her granddaughter when the accident happened, Ammons said.

The motorist who struck the pair may have been blinded by the morning sunlight, authorities said. The man stopped and called 911 after the accident, Ammons said. He was not cited.

“To try and cross six or seven lanes of traffic with cars going by at 40 miles per hour is really taking your own life in your own hands,” said CHP Officer Emery Clarke. “That’s what happened here this morning.”

About 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, a 12-year-old boy died when he was struck by a van near Mariposa Avenue and 6th Street in the Mid-Wilshire area, Los Angeles Police Officer Jason Lee said. The boy’s name was not released.

Lee said that it appeared to be “an unfortunate accident” in which the van was making a right turn onto 6th Street and the boy was stepping off the curb when he was struck. The motorist stopped and was not cited.

About 5:45 p.m., an Encino man who was jaywalking near Van Nuys Boulevard and Sherman Way in Van Nuys was hit by a car, said Brian Humphrey, spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department. The 29-year-old man, whose name was not released, was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center with head injuries. He was in fair condition late Tuesday.

The driver was not cited, officials said.