A Driver Killed our Neighbor in Downtown Oakland on Thursday
On Thursday morning, September 11th at 8:45am a driver hit and killed a 90 year old Asian woman as she was walking across Broadway Avenue at 8th Street near Old Oakland and Chinatown.
Our hearts go out to our neighbor whose life was cut short as she was walking around her neighborhood, and we extend our deepest sympathies to her family and friends.
Traffic Case Information #25-039903
On September 11th, 2025, at approximately 0845 hours, Oakland Police officers responded to 8th St. and Broadway to investigate a report of a traffic collision involving a vehicle vs pedestrian. Officers arrived on scene and located a female pedestrian lying in the street with blunt force trauma injuries. The Oakland Fire Department and medical personnel arrived on scene and provided life-saving measures.
Falck transported the pedestrian to Highland Hospital where she was pronounced deceased.
It appears the pedestrian was traveling eastbound on 8th St. in the designated crosswalk when she was struck by a vehicle driving westbound on 8th St. who was attempting to make a southbound turn onto Broadway. The vehicle's driver stayed on scene and provided a statement to law enforcement.
The pedestrian was a female Asian in her 90's from Oakland. The identification is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
It does not appear that alcohol or drugs played a factor in this collision.
This incident is still under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Oakland Police Department Traffic Investigation Unit at (510) 777-8570.
Officer Josh Dement (Primary)
Officer Kaitlin Hoyle
Traffic Investigations Unit
Oakland Police Department
We are saddened and outraged that yet another life has been tragically taken due to traffic violence. 19 people have been needlessly killed on the streets of Oakland just this year, with untold numbers of others whose lives have been irreparably harmed because of serious injuries due to traffic violence.
These injuries and deaths from traffic violence are preventable.
We spoke to local residents who told us that they have seen multiple people hit by left turning cars at this intersection before. It is inherently dangerous to allow vehicles to take fast turns over a crosswalk while people are walking in it. Broadway Ave is on Oakland's High Injury Network, the 8% of streets responsible for 60% of the severe and fatal collisions in Oakland, so we know more people will be killed here if we do not fix the road.
There is an upcoming Broadway Streetscape Improvements project in Spring 2026 that addresses many of the pedestrian safety issues on Broadway, but not the issue of fast left turns from 8th onto Broadway. A dedicated walk cycle for people crossing Broadway, or a pedestrian safety island in the median on the south side of Broadway would be significant safety improvements to this plan.
Traffic safety is public safety. We call on elected leaders, Oakland Police Department, Oakland Fire Department, and the Oakland Department of Transportation (OakDOT) to treat the traffic safety crisis like the public safety crisis it is and to accelerate efforts to make Oakland’s streets safe for everyone, whether they are traveling by car, bike, on foot, or in a mobility device.
Video of cars driving on 8th Street across broadway
- We call on OakDOT to prioritize street safety upgrades here and across the city. Pedestrians need a dedicated time to safely cross the street and median safety islands that protect us from cars making fast, careless turns.
- We call on the Oakland Police Department to treat these wrongful traffic deaths with the same gravity as other deaths.
- We call on the Oakland Fire Department to work collaboratively with OakDOT to reduce vehicle lanes and slow vehicle traffic across Oakland to save lives.
- We call on Oakland’s elected leadership to prioritize and fully fund street safety work and remove contracting, staffing and other barriers to achieving safe streets for all residents.
About Traffic Violence Rapid Response
We are a group of caring Oaklanders organizing together to put an end to traffic violence throughout Oakland.
We believe traffic violence is a systemic solvable problem. We believe we can build safe streets for everyone using internationally recognized street designs that prioritize the safety and comfort of all residents, especially our most vulnerable neighbors.
We respond to incidents of traffic violence by raising awareness about the incident, lifting the voices of the victims and the community, and demanding concrete action from those with the power to help.