CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department is working to locate people who witnessed a Saturday morning incident in which a pedestrian was hit by a vehicle.
Clearlake resident Brian Fitzke, 33, was seriously injured after being hit by a minivan driven by 80-year-old Kelseyville resident Maureen Lostetter, according to Sgt. Tim Hobbs.
Hobbs said that at approximately 11:15 a.m. Saturday Clearlake Police officers responded to Lakeshore Drive in front of the Magic Wok Chinese restaurant for a reported vehicle versus pedestrian collision.
When officers arrived, medical personnel from the Lake County Fire Protection District were beginning to treat Fitzke, Hobbs said.
Based on information gathered during the investigation, Hobbs said Lostetter was driving her 1993 Ford Aerostar west on Lakeshore Drive.
Eastbound traffic was stopped for a pedestrian who was walking south across the road and was at that point in the eastbound lane, Hobbs said.
Hobbs said Fitzke was walking behind the other pedestrian. As Fitzke was about halfway across the westbound lane, Lostetter attempted to stop while swerving to the center of the road. She was unable to stop or avoid Fitzke and the front of her vehicle struck him.
Fitzke sustained major injuries as a result of the collision. Lostetter was uninjured and her vehicle sustained moderate damage, according to Hobbs.
Hobbs said Fitzke was transported by Lake County Fire Protection District personnel to a landing zone at Redbud Park. From there Fitzke was taken by a REACH air ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.
Lakeshore Drive was closed for approximately 45 minutes, Hobbs said.
Fitzke sustained numerous rib fractures, a nose and hip fracture, and two compound fractures to one of his legs, Hobbs said. On Saturday evening Fitzke was reported to be in stable condition.
Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to contact Officer Andrew Adams at 707-994-8251, Extension 501.