Fatal Berkeley Crash Probe Ongoing: Cops

BERKELEY, CA — A fatal Berkeley crash last month remains under investigation, police said in a statement Wednesday.

One woman was killed and another woman was injured in the collision in on the night of July 26 in the area of Ashby Avenue and Newbury Street according to police. Both women were pedestrians.

The Berkeley Police Department issued the statement due to “significant community concern surrounding the recent fatal traffic collision.”

“This remains an active investigation and therefore there are some details we are unable to share at this time,” the BPD said.

“However, our hope is this information will provide our community with a better understanding of the usual investigative procedures around fatal traffic collisions as well as specific actions that occurred that evening.”

Officers responded to multiple reports of the crash shortly before 10 p.m., police said.

Both women were transported to a local hospital.

One of the women, who was in her 50s, died from her injuries, and the other woman, who is in her 20s, was in stable condition as of Tuesday morning, police said.

The driver involved in the collision drove to a location where they felt safe and called 911 to report the incident, police said.

The driver has been cooperative according to police.

Officers administered a field sobriety test and did not observe any objective symptoms of impairment, police said.

The driver’s vehicle was towed and securely stored for further investigation, which is standard procedure during this type of investigation according to police.

Since that time, investigators have consulted with the California Highway Patrol (to examine the vehicle), the Coroner’s Office (to determine the cause of death), the District Attorney’s Office (for investigative guidance) and members of the City’s Vision Zero Task Force (to determine if there are intersection design recommendations that may reduce the potential for future collisions).

“The Department understands the need for answers about this tragic incident and we are committed to seeking those answers,” the BPD said.

“As is standard with all law enforcement agencies, the Berkeley Police Department must rely on the evidence we collect during the course of an investigation to determine the cause of a collision and/or what crimes were committed during an incident.

“It is important for us to conduct a thorough and deliberate investigation, which ensures all investigate steps are completed and all evidence has been recovered.”