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LONG BEACH, Los Angeles County, Calif., Oct. 7, 2026 — A man using a wheelchair was critically injured Monday night, October 5, after a pickup truck struck him on Locust Avenue in Long Beach. The Long Beach Police Department said he was crossing outside a crosswalk when he was hit.
Officers responded to the 3700 block of Locust Avenue, near Bixby Road, at about 9:40 p.m. after reports of an injury collision, according to police. Investigators determined the man had been crossing the street outside a marked crosswalk when he was struck by a vehicle heading south.
Long Beach Fire Department crews took him to a hospital, where he was listed in critical but stable condition, police said. The pickup's driver stopped at the scene and cooperated with investigators, according to the report.
The crash comes about two weeks after a separate case in Long Beach in which a 64-year-old man in a wheelchair was killed in a hit-and-run. The driver in that Sept. 18 crash, a 23-year-old man, was arrested several blocks away and booked on suspicion of felony hit-and-run and vehicular manslaughter. Police said impaired or distracted driving does not appear to have been a factor in either crash.
The Collision Investigation Detail is continuing to look into Monday's crash. Anyone with information has been asked to contact the unit.
We wish those injured a full recovery.
A Common Misconception About Pedestrian Crashes Involving Wheelchair Users
Many people assume pedestrian crashes happen mostly at night in poorly lit areas or involve pedestrians who ignored traffic signals. The truth is more complicated, and it does not fully explain why wheelchair users and other pedestrians keep getting hit even when visibility and road design improve.
What the numbers actually show is movement in the right direction, not an unsolvable crisis. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, pedestrian fatalities decreased from 1,213 in 2022 to 1,106 in 2023. That drop suggests crashes like these are not simply inevitable byproducts of busy streets, but outcomes shaped by specific, addressable factors, including vehicle speed, driver attention, and where and how people cross.
For wheelchair users in particular, crossing distance and reaction time matter more than for most pedestrians. A midblock crossing, like the one involved in this case, removes the visual cues and signal timing that crosswalks are built around, leaving less room for either party to react.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can drivers do to avoid hitting a pedestrian?
Slowing down near residential and commercial corridors, scanning both sides of the road before intersections and driveways, and giving extra time at night or in low light all reduce the chance of a crash. Drivers should expect pedestrians may cross outside marked crosswalks, especially on long blocks.
What injuries are common in pedestrian crashes?
Pedestrians struck by vehicles often suffer broken bones, head and spinal injuries, and internal trauma. Severity generally rises with vehicle speed and the size of the vehicle involved.
What usually causes pedestrian accidents?
Common factors include driver inattention, failure to yield, poor visibility, and pedestrians crossing outside designated crosswalks. Each crash is different, and causes are typically confirmed only after police complete their investigation.
Does vehicle speed affect survival chances?
Yes. Pedestrians struck at higher speeds face a much greater risk of severe or fatal injury than those hit at lower speeds, because higher speeds leave less time to stop and increase the force of impact.
What to Do After a Pedestrian Crash in Long Beach, CA
If you witness or are involved in a pedestrian crash, call 911 immediately so paramedics can respond. Do not move an injured person unless they are in immediate danger, especially if they use a wheelchair or mobility device, since repositioning can worsen injuries.
Make sure to get checked by a medical professional even if injuries seem minor at first. Shock can mask pain, and some injuries, particularly head and internal injuries, take hours to show symptoms.
It's important that you cooperate with responding officers and provide any details you observed. If you're a witness, consider leaving contact information with police in case investigators need to follow up as the case develops.
