A 62-year-old woman who provided outreach services to the homeless in the City of Santa Monica was struck and killed by a landscaping truck on Friday morning, the Santa Monica Police Department said Monday.
SMPD Sgt. Rudy Camarena said on Aug. 22, at approximately 11:55 am, SMPD officers responded to the report of a collision involving a pedestrian and a vehicle.
Camarena said the preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of a stake bed landscaping truck collided with a pedestrian in the walkway, west of Crescent Bay Park/Lot 4 South at 2030 Ocean Avenue.
“The pedestrian sustained major trauma to her upper body and head,” Camarena said. “The investigation revealed that the driver of the commercial landscaping services truck and a sub-contractor for the City of Santa Monica was backing up when he felt the truck sway. The driver got out to examine the cause and discovered the victim.”
Camarena said the victim, Janet Kathleen Watson Lilliott, was a West Coast Care volunteer who provided outreach services to the homeless in the City of Santa Monica.
“Santa Monica Fire Department paramedics responded and pronounced her dead at the scene,” Camarena said. “The Santa Monica Police Department, Major Accident Response Team, along with the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office is conducting a full investigation.”