Family Struck In SMC Crosswalk, Locals Demand Safer Streets: Report

SAN MATEO, CA — A San Mateo family and concerned neighbors are calling for immediate safety improvements at a dangerous intersection after a father and his two children were seriously injured in a crosswalk collision, according to a report by KRON4.

The community turned out at Monday night's City Council meeting to demand action following the March 28 crash at North Delaware and State streets. The victims — father Ramon Sandoval and his two children, ages 8 and 16 — were struck by a car while walking in the crosswalk.

Sandoval, who suffered internal bleeding, six broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and a leg injury requiring surgery, was released from the hospital on Saturday after a stay in the ICU, according to KRON4. One of the juveniles also sustained a fractured skull, KRON4 reported. The family is now recovering at home.

City officials said that the primary collision factor was a 17-year-old driver's failure to yield to a pedestrian at a crosswalk, KRON4 reported. The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with police, and officers said that impaired driving did not play a role. The family is still awaiting the police report.

The intersection is part of San Mateo County's high-injury network. Data from 2014 to 2020 shows 18 crashes at this location, four of which were deadly., KRON4 reported

Residents expressed years of fear over crossing the street.

“I’ve lived here for a long time, and this has always been a precarious, difficult crossing. Especially at night,” a local resident named Antonio said during the meeting, KRON4 reported.

While the city acknowledged that street safety improvements are on its radar, no specific plans have been announced. Neighbors are urging the council to implement changes, such as flashing crosswalk lights, in the coming weeks, not months.

A GoFundMe page has been established by the family to help cover mounting expenses, including hospital bills and legal fees, as Sandoval faces a long and difficult recovery.

"No family should have to go through something like this. We are holding onto hope and doing everything we can to get through each day together,” the page reads.

Read the full story at KRON4.