A 32 year woman identified as Tiffany Snitchler-Phipps was killed and a 25 year old man was injured Thursday night when they were struck by a Jeep Wrangler at a crosswalk in Ogden.
The accident happened around 6:46 at the intersection of Wall Ave. and Binford Street. According to the report, the Wrangler was traveling northbound in the inside lane when it struck the two pedestrians.
According to police authorities, the woman sustained serious head trauma and was transported to a local hospital, where she died shortly before midnight. The gentleman who was injured sustained foot and ankle injuries and was also transported to the hospital.
The recent high winds in Utah had rendered the traffic signals at the intersections of 23rd St. and Wall Ave. and 25th St. and Wall Avenue out of service. Alcohol, drugs and speeding were not considered as factors for this accident according to Police.
It was disclosed that the crosswalk has been the site of previous auto-pedestrian fatalities. Ogden police said the Utah Department of Transportation has recently been involved with creating a marked crosswalk and signs indicating a pedestrian crossing.
Police said the victims did not use the bright red flags at the crossing which were placed by the workers from St. Anne’s Center, a homeless shelter at the intersection.
The mother of Snitchler-Phipps hopes her daughter’s death will not be in vain and that it is going to spark changes to make crosswalk safer for pedestrians. Snitchler-Phipps is survived by two children, a 10-year-old son, and a 14-year-old daughter with cerebral palsy.
Christensen & Hymas supports advocacy for safer roads for all motorists and pedestrians. We believe that ensuring safety for everyone requires good planning and obedience to all traffic rules. Let us all cooperate to keep our love ones safe from harm. Do share the road and avoid distracted driving.
Original article by David Wells of Fox 13.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia.