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The incident happened around 4:40 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 on Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport.
A red 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee was traveling westbound in the left lane near the 2900 block Fairfield Avenue, which is a divided roadway with an esplanade with two lanes of travel in each direction, Bridgeport Police said.
A crosswalk is at the intersection of Fairfield Avenue and Jetland Street.
As the operator of the Jeep Grand Cherokee was traveling westbound in the left lane, she observed a man start running across the street from the south side towards the northside, said police.
The driver of the Jeep stated that she started to break realizing the man wasn’t going to stop running but was unable to stop and avoid striking the pedestrian, according to police.
The operator then immediately stopped. The pedestrian was struck approximately 100 feet west of the marked crosswalk. The vehicle and pedestrian came to rest across from 2926 Fairfield Ave.
The operator of the 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee has been identified as 47-year-old Joanna Wesson of Bridgeport, said police. She remained on the scene and is cooperating with police.
The pedestrian was found lying semi-conscious in the roadway under the front end of the Jeep, police said. He was transported to Bridgeport Hospital by AMR ambulance. Original reports stated he sustained head trauma and was intubated at Bridgeport Hospital, said police.
Traffic Division was contacted to respond and the Bridgeport Police Traffic Division Crash Investigation Unit responded to the scene for further investigation.
Further investigation by the Bridgeport Police Traffic Division Officer Dolyak determined the identity of the pedestrian to be 31-year-old Melvin Cruz-Ortiz, of Bridgeport.
He sustained minor head trauma and is listed in stable condition at Bridgeport Hospital.
Officer Cynthia Dolyak is the lead crash investigator for this incident. Anyone with further information may contact Officer Dolyak at the Bridgeport Police Traffic Division at 203-576-7640.
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