WATSONVILLE — An 89-year-old man was struck by a car and seriously injured early Thursday morning as he attempted to cross Airport Boulevard near Freedom Centre.
Watsonville Police Traffic Sgt. Donny Thul said the man was crossing the heavily traveled boulevard outside of a crosswalk when he was struck by a VW Beetle, driven by a man in the eastbound lane.
The impact, which dented the hood of the VW and caved in the front windshield, hurled the victim about 30 feet further up the lane. His shoes, hat and other belongings were scattered across the lane.
Watsonville Police shut down the eastbound lane for about four hours to allow for a thorough investigation. The man was struck about 50 feet from a newly established crosswalk on a section of Airport Boulevard that was recently rebuilt.
Thul said that it did not appear that drugs or alcohol played a role in the incident.
The man was flown by CALSTAR air ambulance to an out-of-county trauma center. The crash is still under investigation.
