SAN ANTONIO – A man killed in an early Saturday morning crash was the latest victim of a deadly stretch of road on Austin Highway.
Issac Espinosa, 39, was hit and killed around 1:18 a.m. while walking in the 2100 block of Austin Highway, police said.
The driver who hit Espinosa told police that the victim suddenly walked in front of his car.
According to KSAT 12 News archives, the fatality was one of at least five incidents involving pedestrians and motor vehicles along Austin Highway since January 2016. At least four of the incidents resulted in a pedestrian fatality. Four of the incidents, including Saturday's fatality, happened between the 2000 and 2300 block of Austin Highway.
The stretch of road has only two crosswalk: one at Lanark Drive and the other on Perrin Beitel Road. The crosswalks are more than a half mile apart. Sidewalks are also sporadic.
"I always watch out for traffic coming behind me, and I'm always walking as far as I can to the right," said John Edwards, who was crossing the road where Espinosa was hit, outside of the crosswalk. "It's a little shorter. It's a little bit of a ways to walk that way and come back," pointing to the crosswalk at Lanark Drive, roughly 500 feet away.
Tattoo parlor owner Steve Owen said the area it's not the safest place to cross.
"There's not as much traffic at night," he said. "But just because of the (poorly) lit street, it's hard to see pedestrians when they want to cross."
Owen said he knows about a few people who have been hit.
"I had an employee of mine hit a guy there and broke his windshield," he said. "Fortunately, the guy didn't get hurt and they both kind of went on their own way."
