A pedestrian killed when he attempted to cross a Moreno Valley street in traffic was identified Tuesday as a 79-year-old resident of the city.
Victoriano Ruiz Esparza was fatally injured shortly before 5 p.m. Friday in the 23900 block of Ironwood Avenue, just west of Heacock Street, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
Sgt. Jared Hansen said a motorist was going westbound on Ironwood when Esparza suddenly “stepped out into the roadway, crossing into the westbound lanes.”
There is no marked crosswalk at the location.
Hansen said the driver was unable to swerve to avoid hitting the senior and struck him.
The motorist, whose name was not released, immediately stopped and waited for patrol deputies. The man was not hurt.
Paramedics reached the location within a few minutes and pronounced Esparza dead at the scene.
Anyone with information was asked to contact the sheriff’s Moreno Valley station at 951-486-6700.