Monica Ibarra, 52, of San Francisco, Died in San Jose Car Accident While Riding Electric Scooter By Santa Clara Street and Cahill Street
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA (October 9, 2025) – A 52-year-old woman from San Francisco identified as Monica Ibarra has tragically died in a San Jose hit-and-run car accident at Santa Clara Street and Cahill Street.
Santa Clara County officials are saying the crash occurred around 8:00 a.m. on Monday. Monica Ibarra was riding a scooter and heading north from the crosswalk when she was hit by a 2021 black Ram pickup truck.
Paramedics were called to the scene of the collision to help the victim. Monica Ibarra was transported to the hospital with critical injuries.
Sadly, she was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The driver of the pickup truck fled the scene of the collision.
Authorities later located the truck and determined it was stolen. A full investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
You can support the family of the victim through GoFundMe. According to the online fundraisers, “We are deeply saddened and want to honor her memory with a proper service. We are reaching out to ask for your support in covering the costs of funeral and burial. Any contribution, no matter the amount, would mean so much to us during this difficult time.”
Liability for San Jose Pedestrian Accidents
Every driver must use caution to avoid colliding with any person in the roadway. They must be particularly cautious when turning and yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian crossing the road that is close enough so as to pose a hazard. If a driver fails to slow down to avoid colliding with any pedestrian in the roadway, they could be held at fault through a civil action. Many different factors could contribute to a pedestrian collision.
- Driver Intoxication: A substantial portion of pedestrian accidents involve intoxicated drivers. What many drivers do not realize is that a variety of substances could impair them in addition to alcohol.
- Driver Fatigue: Fatigue is another major contributing factor for car accidents. In fact, staying awake for only 17 hours can reduce a person’s ability to drive safely equal to driving with a BAC of 0.05%.
- Unsafe Driving Habits: Reckless driving could also contribute to pedestrian collisions. This can include situations where drivers make aggressive maneuvers or travel at unsafe speeds.
Pedestrian collisions are largely preventable. They tend to be the result of drivers that fail to properly scan the road ahead of them. But there could also be many different reasons that any pedestrian collision may take place. For example, certain intersections may have an obstructed line of sight that makes it difficult for drivers to see pedestrians.
Third-Party Liability for Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian collisions remain a leading cause of preventable injury and death across California. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, “Pedestrian deaths rose 26% percent between 2014 and 2018. Nearly 7,500 pedestrians have died in California between 2009 and 2018. California’s pedestrian fatality rate is almost 25% higher than the national average.” There could be several parties that bear some liability for any pedestrian accident.
- Business Owner: Pickup trucks are often used for business purposes. They are especially common in transportation, landscaping, construction, and logistics. Companies can be liable for accidents involving their employees who were on official business trips.
- Truck Owner: The owner of a truck could be liable for an accident, even if it was stolen from them and that driver crashed. This may be the case if the vehicle owner left their keys in the ignition.
- Municipal Entity: A city could even bear some liability for a pedestrian collision if it was caused by a dangerous condition on public property. When a roadway or intersection has a history of similar collisions, this could point to the existence of a dangerous condition.
Evidence preservation is crucial after any pedestrian accidents. Most accidents at intersections will be captured by surveillance footage. Even in the absence of footage of any collision, other forms of evidence can help establish what took place. For example, the injuries that a person sustains can reveal how they were struck. The family of any person killed in a pedestrian collision may be able to seek some measure of justice through a wrongful death claim.
Investigating San Jose Pedestrian Accidents
We at Carrazco Law extend our deepest condolences to the family of Monica Ibarra. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. The driver responsible for this crash should come forward and turn themself in. It is never too late to do the right thing.
Do you need information about a San Jose pedestrian accident? Our team of pedestrian accident investigators is here for you. We are committed to helping victims understand their rights and holding negligent drivers accountable for their actions. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we may be able to help. You can reach out to us anytime at (800) 541-3244.
