Chico Pedestrian Struck and Killed Crossing East Avenue at Ceres Avenue
An 89-year-old Chico resident, identified by police as Joel Seltzer, was struck and killed while crossing East Avenue at Ceres Avenue on the night of September 6, 2026. The collision happened around 9:12 p.m. when Seltzer, who had left his home without telling anyone, crossed against a red traffic signal and was hit by a vehicle. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries. The 72-year-old driver, an Oroville resident, remained at the scene and cooperated fully with investigators.
According to KRCR News Channel 7, the Chico Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team reviewed local surveillance footage that captured the moments leading up to the crash. Investigators determined the driver was not impaired and was not speeding at the time of the collision. Police withheld the driver’s name because he was found to bear no fault in the crash. East Avenue at Ceres Avenue was closed for several hours overnight and reopened to traffic around 1:30 a.m., according to Action News Now.
89-year-old Chico man killed after being hit crossing East Avenue at Ceres Avenue
Where It Happened
The intersection of East Avenue and Ceres Avenue in Chico, California, where the fatal pedestrian collision occurred
What the Law Says
California Vehicle Code Section 21954 requires pedestrians outside a marked crosswalk to yield the right-of-way to vehicles on the roadway. However, the same statute makes clear that this duty does not relieve a driver of the obligation to exercise due care for the safety of any pedestrian on the roadway. Even where a pedestrian crosses unlawfully, drivers must remain alert and take reasonable steps to avoid a collision whenever possible.
California Vehicle Code Section 21950 governs the right-of-way at crosswalks and requires drivers to exercise all due care and reduce speed when approaching any pedestrian on a roadway. This statute reinforces that vehicle operators carry an ongoing duty of caution around pedestrians, regardless of who technically has the right-of-way at a given moment. Investigators use these standards to help determine whether a driver acted reasonably under the circumstances.
This summary is general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its specific facts.
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