Overview
- A Mercedes-Benz sedan lost control on a sharp curve of Dafoste Avenue and struck Janice Walker as she sat on her front porch, according to a preliminary police report.
- Walker, 70, was taken to a hospital and died of her injuries, while the driver fled the scene on foot.
- City officials announced a traffic safety review of Dafoste Avenue with potential calming measures under consideration, including speed bumps and signs.
- Crash records show at least two prior incidents in which vehicles entered Walker’s yard in 2019 and January 2024, and no warning sign had been posted at the curve.
- Hedges and a fence that once buffered the property were removed in 2023 for sidewalk work and were not reinstalled, as family and neighbors press for immediate protective fixes and share possible surveillance leads.