SALT LAKE CITY -- A woman was hit and killed while crossing the street in Salt Lake City Tuesday night.
It happened around 6:30 p.m. at the intersection of 700 North and 900 West, and Wednesday officials identified the woman as 65-year-old Janelle Johnson.
According to Salt Lake City Police, Johnson was crossing 900 West. She was in the crosswalk when another woman driving an SUV ran into her. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police say early indications are that the driver of the SUV did not see the pedestrian because it was dark and there was a lot of glare coming from oncoming headlights.
According to witnesses following the SUV, the driver was not speeding and was traveling about 30 mph.
"I saw the lady, she was about middle of the road, my brain first clicked, 'I think that's somebody, that car is going to hit that girl,' it was just instantaneous too, I don't think she was seen," said Jens Sprouse, who was driving behind the SUV.
Upon impact, the pedestrian flew about 50 feet ending up in the middle of the intersection.
The driver, along with Sprouse, as well as other witnesses, immediately went to check on the victim.
"We were trying to get a pulse, we had a hard time getting a pulse at first, we actually thought she was deceased from the get go, another lady showed up, she was a nurse, we did actually get a pulse, she moved for a moment, the paramedics showed up and that's when I stepped back," Sprouse said.
Salt Lake City Police are still investigating and have not reported whether or not the driver responsible will be charged.
"This time of year it gets dark early so there is a lot of traffic in the dark, people crossing the crosswalks, you just have to watch the crosswalks," said Lt. Brian Purvis with Salt Lake City police.
