[04-30-2025] Santa Clara County, CA – Elderly Pedestrian Killed in Hit-And-Run DUI Crash at Forest and Lincoln Avenues in Palo Alto

A woman in her 70s was killed after being struck by a suspected DUI driver in Palo Alto on Wednesday night, April 30, 2025.

According to the Palo Alto Police Department, the crash occurred shortly after 9:00 p.m. near the intersection of Forest and Lincoln avenues.

Palo Alto Fire Department crews responded to find the woman unconscious in the roadway. She was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Police stated that the driver fled the scene after striking the woman. During the investigation, officers discovered that the same vehicle had been involved in an earlier hit-and-run crash near Channing Avenue and Middlefield Road. No injuries were reported in the first crash.

Authorities identified the suspect as a 52-year-old Ignacio E. of East Palo Alto. He was arrested on the 1800 block of East Bayshore Road and booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on felony charges of vehicular manslaughter, DUI causing injury, and hit-and-run causing injury.

The identity of the deceased woman has not yet been released. The crash remains under investigation.

Call Our Dedicated DUI Accident Attorneys In Palo Alto, CA

Drunk driving accidents continue to cause devastating consequences, affecting thousands of lives each year. Despite strict regulations and widespread awareness efforts, these preventable incidents still occur far too often. Victims may suffer from serious injuries, permanent disabilities, or the heartbreaking loss of a loved one. If you or someone close to you has been harmed by an impaired driver, our Palo Alto DUI accident attorneys are here to help.

Our legal team will carefully assess your situation, explain your legal rights, and collect the evidence necessary to build a strong case. This includes obtaining police reports, medical records, and statements from witnesses to support your claim. With over $750 million recovered in verdicts and settlements, Arash Law is recognized for its consistent success in representing injury victims throughout California.

Take the first step toward justice and recovery. Call us at (888) 488-1391 or fill out our “Do I Have a Case?” form to schedule your free consultation today.

Steps To Take After A DUI Accident In Palo Alto, CA

Anything you do immediately after a DUI accident can significantly affect your physical and financial recovery. Follow these steps to protect your well-being and legal rights:

1. Stay calm and move to a safer area if you can. Assess your condition before checking other people involved.
2. Call 911 immediately so paramedics and local authorities can respond to the scene. This can also quickly alert nearby officers if the impaired driver is trying to commit a hit-and-run.
3. Don’t engage with the intoxicated or drugged driver. Their behavior may be unpredictable; let the police handle the situation with them.
4. If you’re able, take photos and videos of the scene. Capture the scene from different angles and highlight important details like visible injuries, property damage, road marks, debris from the accident, etc.
5. Request any witnesses to provide a statement to the police. Ask for their phone number, as well, in case you need to contact them later.
6. Seek a thorough medical evaluation, even if you feel fine. Some injuries might not show symptoms immediately.
7. Consult our lawyers in Palo Alto for DUI accident victims. The sooner you get legal representation, the better. Our attorneys can work immediately to protect your rights and preserve evidence.

I HAD AN ACCIDENT

DUI Accident Statistics

According to the NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis, in 2020, 11,654 fatalities resulted from crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver, accounting for 30% of all traffic deaths in the U.S. This marked a 14.3% increase from 2019, when 10,196 deaths were recorded.

On average, a drunk driving fatality occurred every 45 minutes. The 21 to 24 and 25 to 34 age groups had the highest percentage of impaired drivers in fatal crashes, each making up 26% of such incidents.

Among vehicle types, motorcycle riders had the highest rate of alcohol impairment in fatal crashes at 27%, followed by passenger car drivers (23%), light truck drivers (19%), and large truck drivers (3%).

Of the 1,093 traffic fatalities in 2020 involving children aged 14 and younger, 21% (229 deaths) were linked to alcohol-impaired crashes. Additionally, 67% (7,831 deaths) of all DUI-related fatalities involved a driver with a BAC of 0.15 g/dL or higher.

Drunk driving was 3.1 times more common at night in fatal crashes than during the day.