Roosevelt Boulevard Strikes Again: Unlicensed Driver Kills Pedestrian

Another victim has died attempting to cross Roosevelt Boulevard.

Late Monday evening on Feb. 5, 2018, an unidentified woman in her 20s was struck and killed with such force that she came out of both her sneakers, police said. The accident, which occurred on the inner lanes of Roosevelt Boulevard near Large Street, involved a 22-year-old unlicensed male driver. The driver, who stayed at the scene and is cooperating with police, did not appear to be impaired.

From 2012 through 2016, there were 21,116 reported crashes involving pedestrians in Pennsylvania, according to a Pennsylvania Crash Facts & Statistics study by PennDOT. The study reported 810 pedestrian fatalities.

The 12-lane, 14-mile-long Roosevelt Boulevard was originally built to handle trolleys in the late 1800s but now accommodates 90,000 vehicles per day accounting for 150,000 trips. In the five years preceding 2016, there were 3,000 crashes on the Boulevard resulting in about 50 deaths, according to news reports.

A $2.5 million federal grant, along with another $2.5 million in state and local contributions, is funding a study to improve the Boulevard’s safety. Recommendations are expected by February 2019.

But that is a long time to wait for improved safety measures while the casualties continue.

Jason A. Daria, a Partner at Feldman Shepherd, has been litigating Roosevelt Boulevard Pedestrian Fatality cases for many years and has been advocating for safety improvements on the Boulevard for nearly two decades. He wrote in an Op-Ed article published in the Inquirer in 2013:

“My concern about this issue dates back to February 2000 when a 13-year-old was hit as he attempted to cross 12 lanes of Boulevard traffic near St. Vincent Street. He suffered traumatic injuries, including permanent brain damage. Four years later, on Easter Sunday, another 13-year-old attempted to cross near Princeton Avenue. She was struck and killed. I was the attorney for each of those families. While we successfully settled both cases out of court, I can assure you there is no victory for any family that loses a child.”

Here is a list of Jason A. Daria’s pedestrian accident cases involving Roosevelt Boulevard:

Current Cases:

Mother and three children struck and killed by a car on Roosevelt Boulevard

27-year old mother and three of her children were struck and killed by a vehicle in July 2013 while attempting to cross Roosevelt Boulevard. This case is currently being litigated and is expected to go to trial in early 2018.

20-year-old college student struck and killed by a vehicle on Roosevelt Boulevard

Jason A. Daria was recently retained by the family of a college student who was struck and killed while crossing the Boulevard at Bingham Street in May 2016.

Settlements:

$1 Million Settlement for Teenager Injured Crossing Mid-Block Crosswalk on Roosevelt Boulevard

An eighth-grade student was injured when he was struck crossing Roosevelt Boulevard at a dangerous mid-block crosswalk that had no traffic control to regulate traffic. Attorneys Roberta Pichini and Jason A. Daria represented this young teenager. Read More

$900,000 Settlement for Teenager Struck and Killed While Crossing Roosevelt Boulevard

Attorneys Roberta D. Pichini and Jason A. Daria represented a second mid-block crosswalk case—this time resulting in death—obtaining a settlement of $900,000 for the mother of a 13-year-old girl killed on Roosevelt Boulevard. Read More

If you or a loved one suffered a pedestrian accident, the Feldman Shepherd Team is here to help. Please contact us at (877) 750-0156 or email info@feldmanshepherd.com. You can also email Jason A. Daria directly at jdaria@feldmanshepherd.com