Traffic Enforcement Effort In Berkeley Honors 5-Year-Old Boy

BERKELEY, CA — Berkeley police conducted a traffic enforcement operation at an intersection near the University of California at Berkeley's Clark Kerr campus today in memory of a 5-year-old boy who was struck and killed by a work truck there nine years ago today.

Zachary Cruz, a kindergartner at Le Conte Elementary School at 2241 Russell St. in Berkeley, was struck and killed by a 2.5-ton contractor-style truck while he was crossing the street at the corner of Warring and Derby streets at about 1:45 p.m. on Feb. 27, 2009.

Berkeley police said Zachary was walking across the street with several other students who were attending an after-school program at the Clark Kerr campus at 2601 Warring St.

Police said at the time that the truck driver stopped once he realized he had hit the boy, remained at the scene and was cooperative with police.

Police said the operation, funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, focused on education and enforcement of stop sign, seatbelt and right-of-way violations.

The Berkeley City Council issued a proclamation in 2010 declaring March as Zachary Cruz Pedestrian Safety Month.

Zachary's parents, Frank Cruz and Lauren Holland, are leading a 4 p.m. rally at the corner of Derby and Warring streets today to raise awareness about the life-long impact that careless driving can have.

After the rally, participants will walk to the Berkeley City Council meeting at 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way at 6 p.m.

— Bay City News; Image via Berkeley Police