By Nikolas Samuels & Jim Holt
Signal Staff Writers
No charges are expected to be filed against the 16-year-old driver of a car that struck a pedestrian near the Westfield Valencia Town Center mall Sunday, the head of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff Station’s Traffic Section said.
“If the driver was at fault they would have been cited by us at the time of the incident,” Sgt. Scott Shoemaker told The Signal Monday.
The incident happened shortly after 4:30 p.m. when a vehicle struck a pedestrian at the intersection of McBean Parkway and Town Center Drive in Valencia Sunday afternoon, officials said at the time.
A 38-year-old female was struck by a 16-year-old female driver while she was turning from Town Center Drive onto McBean Parkway, near the mall.
The pedestrian was transported to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital.
“There’s really no charge for striking a pedestrian unless you do it maliciously,” Lt. Rob Hahnlein of the SCV Sheriff’s Station told The Signal on Sunday.
Shoemaker pointed out Monday morning, however, when commenting generically about pedestrians being hit by cars, that either party could be charged depending on the circumstances of the collision.
“A violation could be filed against the pedestrian for jaywalking, if they ran out into traffic say. If the driver is at fault, it would be (a charge of) failing to yield for a pedestrian,” Shoemaker said, speaking in general terms and not specifically about Sunday’s incident.
The incident happened at the same crosswalk as a previously reported vehicle versus pedestrian collision on Sept. 10.
Since August 2014, at least 10 pedestrians have been struck and killed by vehicles in the Santa Clarita Valley.
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