Stockton City Manager Involved in Fatal Collision That Killed Joe Serna, 68, and Critically Injured One Person on El Dorado Street near Poplar Street
STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA (January 26, 2026) – A 68-year-old pedestrian identified as Joe Serna has tragically died in a Stockton car accident near the intersection of El Dorado Street and Poplar Street.
San Joaquin County officials are saying that the collision took place around 7:20 p.m. on January 22. The Stockton city manager was in a vehicle traveling down the roadway when he hit Joe Serna and a 66-year-old man.
Paramedics were called to the scene of the accident to help the two pedestrians. Both were transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Despite medical interventions, Joe Serna later died at the hospital. Family members said that the deceased victim was caring for his brother in the wheelchair at the time of the fatal crash.
Police in Stockton are claiming that the Stockton city manager was not deemed to be at fault for the collision.
Liability for Stockton Pedestrian Accidents
Every driver in California has a legal obligation to use caution to avoid colliding with any pedestrian in the roadway. Pursuant to California Vehicle Code 21950, “The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.” There are many ways that a driver may have acted negligently by failing to avoid a pedestrian.
- Speed: A driver may have been traveling at a speed that would be unsafe given the prevailing road conditions.
- Scanning: A driver may have failed to properly scan the road ahead of them for pedestrians or other hazards.
- Blind Spots: A driver may have failed to check their blind spots before making turns at an intersection.
- Distractions: A driver may have been checking their cell phone and failed to notice a pedestrian in the roadway.
If a driver fails to slow down to avoid colliding with any pedestrian, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. Even if a pedestrian is outside of a marked crosswalk, this does not relieve a driver of their duty of care to avoid hitting a pedestrian. Depending on the facts of any case, liability for a pedestrian accident could extend beyond any person deemed to be at fault. We’ll explore this concept more in the next section.
Third-Party Liability for Stockton Pedestrian Accidents
Many pedestrians are killed or seriously injured in car accidents every year in California. According to ABC 7 News, “In 2012, there were 653 pedestrian fatalities statewide, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration analyzed by the ABC7 News I-Team. That jumped to 1,108 in 2021. California’s roadways are the third-deadliest state for pedestrians.” There could be several liable parties for any pedestrian accident.
- Vehicle Owner: In California, the person who owned a vehicle could be liable for a collision if they loaned or leased it to another party.
- Business Owner: A company could be liable for an accident if the vehicle involved was being used for commercial purposes.
- City: A city can also be liable if one of their workers was involved. For liability to apply, the worker must’ve been operating within the course and scope of their job duties.
- Vehicle Manufacturer: In rare circumstances, a vehicle manufacturer could be liable for a collision if it was caused by some type of defect with the vehicle.
The vast majority of pedestrian accidents are preventable. They tend to involve situations where drivers are either traveling too fast or failing to scan the road ahead of them. Unfortunately, government employees and their insurance providers will virtually never accept responsibility if they caused a fatal collision. This is why it is so important that these accidents are thoroughly investigated by an outside party. The family of any person who died in a pedestrian accident may be able to seek some measure of transparency and justice through a wrongful death claim.
Investigating Stockton Pedestrian Accidents
We at Carrazco Law extend our deepest condolences to the family of Joe Serna. It is our sincere hope that the other victim will be able to make a full recovery. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong so that similar tragedies can be prevented. Many questions remain unanswered. What was the speed of the vehicle involved prior to the collision? Is there a history of accidents at this intersection?
Do you need more information about a Stockton pedestrian accident? Our team of pedestrian accident investigators is here for you. We are committed to helping accident victims be aware of their rights and protecting those rights through skilled advocacy. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (800) 541-3244.
