A 65-year-old man was severely injured when he was struck and dragged by a vehicle in San Diego Sunday.
The accident occurred around 11:38 a.m. in the west alley of 3800 Park Blvd. in the Hillcrest neighborhood, according to authorities.
The driver, a 48-year-old man, turned into the alley off University Avenue and struck the victim, who was lying on a mattress, according to the San Diego Police Department.
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The victim was dragged nearly 30 feet, and was rushed to a hospital to be treated for second- and third-degree burns and a fractured femur, police said.
Maureen McNulty saw the man sleeping on the mattress in the alley four hours before the accident.
“I was very sad and upset because I really wished I had called the police at 7:30,” McNulty said.
“Maybe all of us need to take more responsibility for the homeless in our neighborhood instead of being upset that they are here,” McNulty said.
Kiersten Neely often visits the Hillcrest neighborhood. She described the accident as two growing problems on a collision course.
“I see a lot of people who are not really as present as they should be and I do see a lot of people in the alleys,” Neely said.
Hillcrest Town Council President Jason Frye said there are no easy solution but accidents like this are a wake-up call.
“This is a crisis. This is symptom that just exponentially says why we need to help people, “ Frye said.
Further information on the driver and the victim was not immediately available. Anyone with information about the accident was encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
