REAR-END COLLISION: Driver Rear-Ended after Hitting, Killing Elderly Pedestrian in Costa Mesa

August 21, 2010

Costa Mesa – An SUV was rear-ended by another vehicle after hitting an 85-year-old Palm Springs woman who was crossing Harbor Boulevard Friday night, authorities said.

Sunny Poate, the fatality, reportedly trying to get to Date Place by crossing about eight lanes of traffic and was not on a crosswalk when she was hit by a Toyota 4Runner that was on the far right southbound lane driven by an Irvine man.

The driver, later identified as 52-year-old Fern Eisler, stopped after he hit Poate but was rear-ended by a Toyota Corolla. The drivers were both uninjured. Poate died at the scene.