Crime & Safety
Woman Struck by Mail Truck, First RSM Fatality in 6 Years
Victim, 85, was alert and conscious at the scene but died two hours later after being transported to the hospital.
By Martin Henderson
An 85-year-old woman was struck Monday evening by a United States Postal Service truck and later died at the hospital.
According to Lt. Brian Schmutz, chief of police services in Rancho Santa Margarita, the woman was "alert and conscious" when deputies and Orange County Fire Authority personnel responded to the scene at 12 Teaberry Lane, near Tijeras Creek Elementary School, shortly after 6:30 p.m.
The blotter of the Orange County Sheriff's Department indicated the driver of the vehicle called 9-1-1 at 6:34 p.m. to report the incident and there was a concern about head trauma. Within 25 minutes she was being transported to Mission Hospital.
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Schmutz said it was unclear if the woman was walking or running toward the mail truck, and there didn't appear to be any witnesses other than the driver, but she was on foot and hit her head on the ground. She was taken to Mission Hospital "alert and conscious," Schmutz said, "and got to the hospital and subsequently died."
The coroner indicated the woman, as yet unnamed pending notification of relatives, died at 8:29 p.m.
The incident is under investigation.
According to Schmutz, this is the first traffic fatality in Rancho Santa Margarita since 2007.
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