70-year-old Berkeley pedestrian killed when city vehicle hits her

BERKELEY, Calif. (BCN) - A 70-year-old woman died when she was hit by a city of Berkeley vehicle this afternoon, California Highway Patrol officials said. 

The woman was identified by the coroners' office as Shelley Rideout of Berkeley. 

Neighbors said they were saddened, but not surprised by the news and described the intersection as "confusing". 

Someone called the CHP at 1:21 p.m. to report the collision at Channing Way and Fulton Street near the University of California at Berkeley campus, CHP Officer Matthew Hamer said. 

A city employee was driving a large sewage maintenance truck that struck the woman who was crossing the street in a crosswalk. 

CHP said the narrow, often congested streets may have made it difficult to see for both the driver and the pedestrian.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:31 p.m. 

According to Hamer, witnesses told investigators that the vehicle was going at about 15 mph. The driver of the vehicle is cooperating with investigators. They say there is no indication the driver broke the law.

Hamer said neither drugs nor alcohol played a role in the collision. 

The victim lived just steps away from this intersection.