On Saturday, July 12, 2025, at approximately 6 p.m., the Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD) responded to a traffic collision on Brookhurst Street and Crailet Drive involving a white Toyota RAV4 and a pedestrian.
Upon arrival, officers located the driver of the RAV4, a 62-year-old male from Costa Mesa, uninjured. The pedestrian, who has not yet been identified, was found unconscious in the roadway.
She was transported to a local hospital and later pronounced deceased.
The driver of the RAV4 cooperated with investigators, and impairment does appear to be a factor.
The driver was arrested for suspicion of DUI. It is unknown if impairment was a factor with the pedestrian.
Based on the preliminary investigation, the RAV4 was traveling northbound on Brookhurst Street and struck the pedestrian south of the intersection with Crailet Drive.
The collision investigation is ongoing and being handled by the HBPD Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT).
Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or the events leading up to it is encouraged to contact HBPD Traffic Investigator C. Houlston at (714) 536-5559.
Here’s a summary of the potential penalties the suspect may face in Huntington Beach, California:
A driver arrested for DUI after fatally hitting a pedestrian in Huntington Beach could face serious legal consequences under California law. These may include:
- Vehicular Manslaughter While Intoxicated:
- If charged without gross negligence: up to 4 years in prison.
- If charged with gross negligence: up to 10 years in prison.
- Second-Degree Murder (Watson Murder):
- If the driver has a prior DUI and was warned about the risks, they could face 15 years to life in prison.
- DUI Causing Injury or Death:
- Additional penalties may include license suspension, fines, DUI education programs, and probation.
- Civil Lawsuit:
- The victim’s family may file a wrongful death lawsuit seeking compensation for funeral costs, emotional suffering, and loss of support.
Penalties can be more severe if the driver has prior DUI convictions or if other aggravating factors are present.
At what point does jaywalking and pedestrian behavior become more of an enforcement concern? Even if the driver wasn’t intoxicated this accident could easily have happened. Sure, cars are supposed to yield to peds, but I’ve seen such an increase in reckless bikes riding against traffic, strung out transients walking in the middle of the roadway yelling at the sky, and oblivious pedestrians without a clue walk right in front of an oncoming car. But instead we’ll throw the book at the DUI guy because he’s an easy target and call it a success!