A preliminary investigation found that the pedestrian was attempting to walk across West Valencia Road when a Toyota Tundra traveling westbound struck him
Tucson, AZ – A 62-year-old man died in an auto-pedestrian collision that took place on Friday in Tucson, according to the Tucson Police Department.
The accident was reported in the 600 block of West Valencia Road on Friday, February 6.
A preliminary investigation found that the pedestrian was attempting to walk across West Valencia Road when a Toyota Tundra traveling westbound struck him. The victim was reportedly hit while outside a marked or unmarked crosswalk.
The Tucson Police Department and the Tucson Fire Department crews immediately responded to the scene and located the pedestrian.
The victim was transported by paramedics to Banner University Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.
Authorities were later notified that the pedestrian had succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. He has since been identified as William Joseph Barrett, 62, and his next-of-kin has been notified.
The driver, a 44-year-old, remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, who determined that the driver was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The accident is under investigation by the Tucson Police Department.
Arizona experienced a slight decline in traffic incidents over the past two years, though crash fatalities remain high. In 2023, the state reported 122,247 total motor-vehicle crashes with 1,307 deaths, while 2024 saw a small decrease to 121,107 crashes and 1,228 fatalities, representing a 6.1% drop in deaths compared with the previous year. Despite the modest improvement, the number of serious injuries and fatalities remains near historically high levels, highlighting ongoing road safety challenges.
Speeding, impaired driving, and failure to use safety devices continue to be major contributing factors in fatal and serious crashes across the state. Emergency response efforts and public safety campaigns aim to reduce these risks, but Arizona’s highways and urban roads continue to see a significant number of severe accidents annually.
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in this collision, you can learn more about your options by visiting our car accident attorney page.