LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Two pedestrians were killed in separate hit-and-run accidents in Lexington just hours apart late Saturday night and early Sunday morning.
The first occurred around 11:20 p.m. on Saturday at the intersection of N. Broadway and Loudon Avenue.
52-year-old Ansean Jackson was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to Lexington police, the driver, 40-year-old Chris Parish, is being charged in connection with the accident for driving under the influence.
Another still-unidentified victim was killed in a collision on New Circle Road near Alumni Drive early Sunday morning.
31-year-old Marcus Marshall is being charged with leaving the scene of the accident.
Lexington police said both investigations are ongoing.
"Collision reconstruction investigations are complex and take some time to thoroughly examine as investigators look into various factors and scenarios," the department said in a statement on Monday.
The latest report from the Lexington Police Department listed 168 pedestrian collisions in 2021 alone. Those collisions resulted in seven fatalities.
The report also broke down the top pedestrian factors leading to collisions. The most common was wearing dark clothing or not being visible to drivers, reported in 12% of cases. "Walking in Roadway" was the second-most-common factor, attributed to 11% of cases.
Ginny Ramsey, director of the Catholic Action Center in Lexington, works with many of those experiencing homelessness in the community. She explained that those in the population without shelter are more likely to fall victim to pedestrian accidents.
"We've had several that have been in accidents and if they're not, thankfully, if they're not killed, the problem that we're experiencing is there's really severe injuries," she said.
Data from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet shows 79% of all pedestrian traffic crashes happen after dark.
"If you don't have any other place to go and you're just looking, it might be midnight; it might be quite dark. It might be when people aren't paying as much attention when they're driving," Ramsey said.
The Catholic Action Center was previously part of a multi-organization program to help give visibility gear to those experiencing homelessness and hopes to bring a similar program back.
Lexington's pedestrian safety ordinance requires pedestrians to cross at crosswalks or intersections. The city advises pedestrians to make themselves visible, stay alert, and use sidewalks whenever possible.
