Stockton City Manager Johnny Ford was involved in a car crash Thursday evening that killed one pedestrian and injured another a few blocks north of City Hall, sources have told Stocktonia.
While Stockton police would not confirm the identity of the driver, sources who were not authorized to speak publicly about the incident told Stocktonia that Ford was involved in the fatal collision.
Mayor Christina Fugazi had earlier said a city employee was involved in the collision.
“The employee is cooperating fully with investigators,” Fugazi told local news outlets. “The city recognizes the seriousness of this matter and extends its concerns to all individuals involved and their loved ones.”
Fugazi did not identify the employee.
Police said that officers were driving in the 900 block of north El Dorado Street, at Poplar Street, just before 7:30 p.m. “when they came upon a vehicle vs pedestrian collision.”
“Officers on scene contacted the adult male driver and located two adult male pedestrians, that had been struck by the vehicle,” Officer David Scott told Stocktonia in a statement Friday morning.
Both pedestrians were transported to an area hospital, the police spokesperson said.
One pedestrian was being treated for his injuries, Scott said, but the other — a 68-year-old man who has not yet been identified — died, police said in a notice on social media.
The collision appears to have occurred in the roadway, police said. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
“The driver of the vehicle remained on scene and cooperated with the investigation,” said Scott, who added that the driver did not appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
While police said they were not immediately aware of any other crashes involving pedestrians or bicyclists in the area of El Dorado and Poplar streets, the intersection does not have marked crosswalks.
The Stockton Police Department’s Traffic Section has taken over the investigation.
Police did not provide any additional information.
A spokesperson for Fugazi referred all questions to the Stockton Police Department.
“Until SPD and CHP come back and say this is what happened and these are the facts, we’re going to have to defer to them,” said Jason Teramoto, the mayor’s public information officer.
City spokesperson Tony Mannor also referred questions about the crash to police.
Ford did not immediately respond to an email, a text message and a phone call from Stockonia on Friday.