Man Walking In Middle Of Menifee Street Struck, Killed By Motorist

MENIFEE, CA — A man was struck and killed by a pickup Friday while walking in the middle of a Menifee street for reasons unclear.

The fatality occurred about 4:20 a.m. at the intersection of Menifee and Wickerd roads, according to the Menifee Police Department.

The victim, identified by the coroner as 57-year-old Eliazar Garcia of Menifee, was in the middle of southbound lanes on Menifee Road when a Dodge Ram approached at an undetermined speed, according to Lt. Denise Keith.

Keith said that the driver did not see the man, "who was wearing non-reflective clothing," and plowed into him on the dark stretch of road.

The motorist, who was not injured, stopped and called 911.

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department paramedics reached the location a short time later and pronounced the pedestrian dead at the scene.

"The preliminary investigation suggests that neither alcohol nor drugs were a factor for the driver," Keith said.

An autopsy was pending on the victim.

Anyone with information was asked to contact the police department's Traffic Unit at 951-723-1690.