Benicia police officer hits, kills pedestrian

BENICIA – A pedestrian was killed early Wednesday morning after being struck and killed by an on-duty Benicia police officer, the department confirmed.

The officer was traveling in his patrol cruiser at about 2 a.m. in the 1900 block of East 2nd St. when he hit the pedestrian, who died at the scene.

“This is a tragic incident for all involved,” interim police Chief Mike Greene said in a press release. “Our deepest condolences go out to the victim’s family and loved ones.”

Police said the identity of the pedestrian is still unknown at this time. The person is a white male, between 30 to 40 years old. The Solano County Coroner’s Office is attempting to identify the man and notify his next of kin.

The department said the officer was not responding to a call for service at the time of the collision, and he was not injured. Following the incident, the officer was removed from the scene.

The collision investigation is being handled by the California Highway Patrol and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, police said.

The collision area will be closed off to traffic for several hours to accommodate the investigation.