Investigators have determined the identity of a 16-year-old victim who was killed in a van-pedestrian accident while he was out for a morning run.
Jared Paul Odane
Sgt. Pat Ramirez of the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, reports Jared Paul Odane had been jogging along West Combs Road just after 5 a.m., and about an hour before sunrise, when he was struck by a van. Driver Mark Danielson, 43, told investigators on the scene that he had been driving between 45 and 50 mph when he heard a loud noise. His air bags also deployed. He stopped to see what he had hit. Using the light from his cell phone, he saw Jared, and immediately called 911.
Dark Clothes and Ear Buds
According to detectives, Odane was wearing dark clothes and had ear buds in his ears while he jogged along the fog line that hung above West Combs Road. The lane is within a foot of the eastbound lane. Since Odane was running east, and Danielson was also headed east, the van hit him from behind. Odane never saw or heard the van coming. According to Jared’s family, he regularly jogged along West Combs Road, and was also in the process of training for a marathon.
No Street Lights
“Unfortunately, many of our roadways do not have street lights or sidewalks,” said Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu. “Joggers and pedestrians are reminded to travel in the opposite direction of traffic and wear light-colored clothing ….” At this point, impairment does not seem to have been a factor in the collision. And Danielson is not facing any charges at this point. This death is a reminder to all pedestrians to try to make yourself as visible as possible if you are out on the roads, especially if it is dark.
Nearly 4,300 pedestrians were killed in the U.S. in 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
