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San Jose Traffic Death Toll Reaches 19 After Hit-and-Run Kills Scooter Rider

Authorities arrested Luis Cruz Martinez on felony DUI, hit-and-run charges following the scooter rider’s death; investigators are probing a second fatal solo collision in San Jose.

REDDING, CA – AUGUST 30: Low water levels are visible on the banks of Shasta Lake on August 30, 2014 in Redding, California. As the severe drought in California continues for a third straight year, water levels in the State’s lakes and reservoirs is reaching historic lows. Shasta Lake is currently near 30 percent of its total capacity, the lowest it has been since 1977. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • Luis Cruz Martinez was booked into Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of felony DUI and hit-and-run after veering into the Capitol Expressway bike lane on June 26.
  • The e-scooter rider, initially stabilized at a hospital, died on July 28 from injuries sustained in the collision.
  • A separate solo crash on Berryessa Road and Summerpark Court around 3:10 p.m. on July 28 killed a truck driver after his vehicle collided with a tree and caught fire.
  • These two fatalities mark the 18th and 19th deaths on San Jose streets this year, underscoring a surge in deadly collisions involving vulnerable road users.
  • City leaders and safety advocates are calling for stricter DUI enforcement, expanded protected lanes, and traffic-calming measures to address the mounting street-safety crisis.