UPDATED: Pedestrian killed after being struck by a vehicle in Redding identified

UPDATE 3/23/2016

REDDING – A woman killed Saturday, March 19, after being struck by a vehicle has been identified by coroner’s officials as Jennifer Pruitt, 32, of Redding.

According to the Shasta County Coroner’s Office, a post-mortem exam completed on Monday listed Pruitt’s cause of death as “multiple traumatic injuries consistent with a car versus pedestrian.”

Pruitt’s blood has been sent to a laboratory for toxicology, which won’t be available for several weeks.

REDDING – A pedestrian was killed on March 19, after she was struck by a vehicle while crossing Highway 273 in Redding, according to Redding Police officials.

The Shasta Area Safety Communications Agency (SHASCOM) received a 911 call at about 10:48 p.m., about a vehicle versus pedestrian traffic accident at Highway 273 and S. Bonnyview.

Law enforcement officers and other emergency first responders who rushed to the location found a victim, described only as a white female adult, with major injuries. The victim was reportedly lying in the southbound turn lanes of Highway 273 north of S. Bonnyview.

Despite life saving efforts, the victim succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel.

Officers found the driver of the involved vehicle, identified as Alec Gregory Schneider, 18, of Redding, seated in his vehicle, which was stopped in the southbound turn lanes of Highway 273 north of S. Bonnyview. Schneider reportedly told officers he was traveling southbound on Highway 273 approaching S. Bonnyview when he entered the turn lanes to turn eastbound onto S. Bonnyview when he struck the victim, who was crossing Highway 273.

Officers conducted an accident investigation and determined the pedestrian, who has yet to be identified, “was crossing Highway 273, well north of the lighted intersection and crosswalk at S. Bonnyview, when she was struck by Schneider’s vehicle.” Schneider told officials he was unable to avoid the collision.

During their investigation, officers determined driver impairment was not a factor in the traffic collision, according to officials. However, officers located two alcoholic beverages, a glass smoking device and a hypodermic needle near the pedestrian’s body. Her impairment was unknown at the time of the officer’s investigation, pending toxicology reports and an autopsy.

Southbound Highway 273 south of Branstetter Road and North of S. Bonnyview was temporarily closed to through traffic during the traffic investigation.

Anyone who witnessed this fatal traffic collision or who might know the identity of the victim is encouraged to contact Sergeant M. Montgomery at the Redding Police Department at (530) 225-4200. Callers can refer to incident file number 16-19140 and can remain anonymous.