Man is killed in lighted crosswalk

A man was killed late Monday while crossing South Coast Highway at

Eagle Rock Way in a marked and lighted crosswalk, police said.

It is the second crosswalk fatality in 12 months.

Jaime Ramirez, 20, of Mexico, was transported to Mission Hospital

in Mission Viejo, where he died of injuries. Jaime Ramirez’s cousin,

Marcos Ramirez,19, was also injured in the accident. He’s in serious

condition at Mission Hospital.

The two men were hit in the marked crosswalk, illuminated by

flashing lights, by a 49-year-old Tustin man driving a Toyota

Sequoia.

Police identified the driver as Paul Schiada, 49, of Tustin.

Both a field sobriety test administered at the scene and a

voluntary blood sample revealed the driver was not under the

influence of alcohol or drugs, police said.

Jaime and Marcos Ramirez were in Laguna Beach staying with

relatives in the 31600 block of South Coast Highway, said Sgt. Darin

Lenyi.

This is the second pedestrian in one year to be hit and killed by

a car, while crossing in a Laguna crosswalk.

Olimpia Ordonez, 27, of Santa Ana, was killed and her sister was

injured after they were struck crossing South Coast Highway at

Mountain Road during an October rainstorm.

Ordonez was on her way to a Laguna Beach home where she worked as

a nanny, when she was hit by an elderly woman driving an SUV. Her

36-year-old sister, also from Santa Ana, suffered head and neck

injuries, but survived the accident.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Are the city’s lighted crosswalks doing their job of protecting

pedestrians? Write us at P.O. Box 248, Laguna Beach, CA, 92652,

e-mail us at [email protected] f7or fax us at 494-8979.

Please give your name and tell us your home address and phone number

for verification purposes only.