Woman killed in crash while crossing PCH in Long Beach [Update]
Update 06/09/2026: The woman tragically killed in this accident has been identified as Kathleen Banks. Our condolences go to the friends and family who were affected by this loss.
LONG BEACH, CA (June 4, 2026) — A woman is dead after she was struck by a car while crossing Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach’s Wrigley neighborhood early Wednesday morning, police said. The driver, a 19-year-old Long Beach resident, stopped at the scene and cooperated with investigators, and authorities said they do not believe impaired driving, distracted driving or excessive speed played any role.
The crash was reported at approximately 4:50 a.m. near the intersection of PCH and Pacific Avenue. Officers arrived to find an adult female pedestrian lying in the roadway. Long Beach Fire Department personnel transported her to a local hospital, where she died despite lifesaving efforts.
Preliminary findings indicate the woman was walking southbound in the east crosswalk against a red light when she was struck by a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu that had entered the intersection on a green light, heading westbound. The victim’s identity is being withheld while the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office works to establish identification.
Police said they do not believe impaired driving, distracted driving or excessive speed were factors in the crash. The driver’s cooperation and the pedestrian’s apparent violation of the traffic signal will likely be central to any further investigation.
Anyone who may have witnessed the fatal crash was urged to contact the LBPD Collision Investigation Detail at 562-570-7355 to speak with a detective. Anonymous tips can be submitted through LA Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident, our attorneys in Los Angeles are available for a free and confidential consultation.
Kathleen Banks’ Accident on PCH in Long Beach
The intersection sits on a corridor that has become one of Long Beach’s most dangerous for pedestrians. PCH is a high-speed, multi-lane arterial that cuts through dense residential neighborhoods, and the early-morning hours — when visibility is low and foot traffic is unpredictable — account for a disproportionate share of the city’s pedestrian deaths.
Wednesday’s death is the 25th traffic fatality reported by the LBPD in 2026. That pace puts Long Beach on track to approach or exceed last year’s toll. In 2025, the city recorded 53 fatal traffic collisions — its highest tally in more than a decade. By the same point in 2025, the department had reported 20 traffic fatalities. This year’s count of 25 at the same milestone represents a roughly 25 percent increase year over year.
Long Beach adopted a Vision Zero plan years ago with the stated goal of eliminating traffic deaths entirely. Whether pedestrians are crossing against signals, drivers are failing to yield, or infrastructure is failing everyone depends heavily on the individual crash — but the pattern of deaths on high-speed roads like PCH raises questions about road design, signal timing and whether the city’s arterials are built in a way that accounts for how people actually move through them.
Legal Ramifications of a Long Beach Pedestrian Accident
The Long Beach Police Department’s preliminary conclusion is that the driver was not impaired, not distracted and not speeding. When a pedestrian crosses against a red light and is struck by a vehicle proceeding lawfully on a green signal, California’s comparative fault rules still apply, but the distribution of fault can tilt sharply against the pedestrian’s estate.
Under California law, damages in a wrongful death claim are reduced in proportion to the decedent’s share of fault. If investigators confirm the driver had the right of way and was otherwise operating the vehicle within the law, the path to recovery for the victim’s family narrows significantly — though it does not necessarily close.
Several questions remain unanswered at this stage. Whether the intersection’s lighting, signal timing or crosswalk markings contributed to the crash has not been addressed publicly. Pre-dawn crashes on high-speed roads often involve factors beyond individual behavior: inadequate street lighting, unclear crosswalk markings, or signal phases that don’t give pedestrians adequate warning. Any one of those conditions, if present, could affect the legal analysis.
The driver’s age — 19 — will also likely draw scrutiny. Teen drivers as a cohort have statistically higher rates of collision involvement, though authorities in this case have specifically stated speed and distraction were not factors.
Contact J&Y Law to Support Your Family
If you have lost a family member in a pedestrian crash — whether the victim was crossing legally or not — the legal landscape is more complex than a police press release can capture. Fault determinations in pedestrian fatalities often evolve as investigations proceed, and factors including roadway design, signal configuration and driver behavior in the seconds before impact can all affect the outcome of any civil claim.
Consulting a personal injury attorney who handles wrongful death cases in California is the most effective way to understand your options before evidence is lost or witnesses become unavailable. The LBPD is still accepting witness information in this case, and the investigation remains open. Once again we extend our condolences to Kathleen Banks’ loved ones for this loss.
