Fatal Accidents In Stockton Raise Safety Concerns

STOCKTON, Calif. — A series of tragic incidents involving pedestrians and motorcyclists in Stockton and nearby areas has raised concerns about road safety. In one of the most recent cases, an 84-year-old pedestrian named Joe Hou was struck by a vehicle around 6:30 a.m. on March 31 near the intersection of East March Lane and Holiday Drive. He later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

According to the Stockton Police Department, the driver involved in the accident remained on the scene and called 911. Emergency response teams quickly transported Hou to a local hospital, but he passed away shortly after. The westbound lanes of East March Lane were closed for several hours as police conducted their investigation.

In another incident on the same day, deputies from the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office fatally shot a suspect believed to be armed after a chase in the 5000 block of Ardelle Way and Walker Lane. The shooting occurred around 11:15 a.m. and resulted in the suspect being transported to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The California Department of Justice is investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting, and authorities encourage anyone with information to call 916-210-2871.

On Sunday evening, Roman Kuzminskiy, 32, of Sacramento, died after colliding with a Nissan Altima while riding his motorcycle on Data Drive in Rancho Cordova. The accident occurred around 6:30 p.m., and though Kuzminskiy was transported to a hospital with critical injuries, he was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. Deputies have indicated that driving under the influence may have been a factor in the crash.

Earlier that same week, a pedestrian fatality was reported involving 63-year-old Julie Denise Koenig from Mather. She was pronounced dead shortly after a collision at the Mather Field Road and International Drive intersection at 6:45 a.m. on a Thursday. The driver involved in this incident remained at the scene and was not suspected of any criminal activity.

In a separate incident, an 18-year-old woman was shot during a car ride in Stockton by a male passenger. The shooting took place around 8:39 p.m. on Friday near West Lane and Hammertown Drive. The woman sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and was taken to a hospital for treatment. The suspect fled the scene, and police are searching for him, describing him as either an Asian or Hispanic male.