Just west of the Lee District line, in an non-pedestrian friendly area of Old Keene Mill Road, an unidentified pedestrian was hit and killed late Tuesday, June 29.
According to the Fairfax County Police, a man in his 30s was crossing Old Keene Mill Road near Lee Valley Road when he was struck by a 1997 Mercury Mountaineer driven by a 17-year-old male. The SUV was traveling westbound on Old Keene Mill Road. The man was crossing from the south side of the road to the north side of the road and walked into the path of the SUV. The pedestrian was not in the crosswalk at the intersection of Hanover Avenue and Old Keene Mill.
A 7-Eleven, Keene Mill Cleaners and a bus stop are located at the intersection, so seeing pedestrians run across the street is not uncommon, said June Chung, manager of the cleaners.
"People just cross everywhere. From the apartments, a lot of people walking," Chung said.
Fellow Keene Mill Cleaners employee Sue Kim noticed the lack of adherence to the proper pedestrian procedures.
"It's going to happen no matter what. They just feel like going, they just go, they don't care," Kim said.
THE ECUMENICAL Community for Helping Others (ECHO) is also located nearby. Pat Gauthier, ECHO executive director, has noticed people crossing Old Keene Mill Road at various locations, but not the crosswalk.
"A tremendous number of our families come from the apartments around here, the younger men come and play soccer here in the evening," Gauthier said. "I see them [pedestrians] pushing their strollers ahead of them and that makes me nervous."
Fairfax County Police detectives are investigating the possibility that a second vehicle, also traveling westbound on Old Keene Mill Road, might have struck the man as he was lying in the roadway. The pedestrian was transported to Inova Fairfax Hospital, where he died. The victim has not been identified but has been described as Hispanic, 5 feet 8 inches tall, thin build, with bushy hair and a mustache. The victim was wearing jeans, work boots and a hat. Speed was not a factor in the crash, and the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding the victim's identity or who might have witnessed this crash is asked to call police at 703-691-2131 or Crime Solvers at 800-673-2777. This is the 27th traffic fatality in Fairfax County in 2004.