TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — In 2022, nearly half of the traffic-related fatalities in Tucson were pedestrian deaths, according to the Tucson Police Department.
The TPD has reported two pedestrian deaths so far in January.
On September of 2022, 21-year-old Kendra Roberts was walking through the crosswalk at the intersection of Grant and Palo Verde and was hit by three cars.
“I never thought that I'd say it because she always was talking. I just miss the sound of her voice because she never, ever stopped talking from the day she started. Those days in that hospital room watching her not saying nothing was the hardest part of it,” said Felicity Harris, Kendra’s mom.
A couple days later, Kendra passed away after multiple surgeries. She was the 27th pedestrian killed in 2022, according to a press release by TPD.
“She was passing through one of those crosswalks. I understand that it was not lit up. It may have been, I don't know. I still haven't seen a police report, but from the witnesses, they said she was crossing and she was hit by three vehicles in that crosswalk,” said Harris.
Earlier this year, Lydia Reis, also known as the ‘Umbrella Lady’ in Tucson, was hit and killed by a driver.
She was one of two pedestrian deaths in 2023.
“The fact that it happened with Lydia, it just kind of brought it to light for everybody in Tucson to see that-- that it happens. And now it's kind of on everybody's radar,” said Harris.
Harris said the Umbrella Lady’s story has brought more attention and awareness to how big of an issue this is in Tucson.
“That's kind of what I wanted to bring attention to, not just for Kendra, but for so many victims. I mean, even the victims that are homeless that were killed nameless,” said Harris.
In 2021, there were 33 pedestrian deaths in Tucson and 49 in 2022.
“That is out of a total of 99 traffic fatalities overall so that’s almost about half--substantially more than the previous year,” said Lieutenant Lauren Pettey with the Tucson Police Department.
Harris describes her daughter as magnetic, positive and loving. She hopes through both Kendra and the Umbrella Lady’s stories, drivers pay more attention and decrease this number.
“It's horrible for someone somewhere, just because, you know, the whole community doesn't know who that person is, somebody loves them,” said Harris.
Lieutenant Pettey said TPD is working with the city to add more lighting in poor-lit intersections and roads around Tucson.
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Faith Abercrombie is a reporter for KGUN 9. Before coming to KGUN, Faith worked as a videographer for the Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation and as a reporter and producer on the youth suicide documentary, "Life is..." on Arizona PBS.
Share your story ideas with Faith by emailing faith.abercrombie@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, or Twitter.
