RIP Mr. Schwehr.

A real shame that pedestrians are not safe on Mountain View streets even in broad daylight.

Anyone of the speeding, tailgating, cell phone using drivers out there could have done this, and will eventually do it again. Drive like you're capable of taking an innocent life, nit like you're a selfish jerk only fixated on getting where you want to be as fast as you can. This was an utter waste at the highest level.

I totally agree Tragic, and it just keeps getting worse!!
Yes, RIP dear Mr. Schwehr.

Perhaps blinking lights should be installed along the lines of each crosswalk in Mtn. View, with flashing signs as well. I have seen these along Shoreline Blvd. at each mid block crosswalk now between Villa and El Camino Real. It is about time someone started thinking about installing these blinking lights. Perhaps ALL intersections (again) should have these installed due to the fact that drivers just are not paying attention to where they are going and where they are!!!!

We need to at least triple the amount of officers assigned to traffic control.
That might help for starters

Accident doesn't seem to be the right word to describe the collision and resulting death. While it wasn't intentional, lack of attention to driving is not an accident. It's a decision by the driver and a failure to follow the law to yield to a pedestrian.

They should be described as loss of life due to poor driving behavior(s).
That sounds like an offense that should result in a VEEERY lengthy license suspension, similar to a prison sentence: 10 years to life.

Are charges against the driver being considered? Such as vehicular homicide?

The article calls this an "accident", but that word implies that the driver did nothing wrong. Most newspapers now use the word "collision" when fault has not been proven.

RIP Mr. Schwehr, you will no doubt be very much missed by many.

Agree with the above, perhaps it's time to install flashing lights at every darn crosswalk in town. Or program traffic lights for pedestrian crossing only. In other municipalities they have the "all walk" signal where pedestrians at all 4 corners can cross either direction or diagonally across the intersection, saw it myself in So CA recently. Telling people to look for pedestrians is not cutting it.

Agree that this was no accident and that the Voice needs to use the correct wording, such as "incident." This topic came up 10 years ago during a MV Forum with 4 local newspaper editors, and Don Frances said they were going to continue to use the term "accident" to describe these events because he thought that was acceptable. I very much doubt that anyone in the fields of public safety, injury prevention, emergency medicine, etc would refer to a driver hitting a pedestrian in the crosswalk with a green light and the walk sign flashing, on an uncrowded street at 9:30am on a Monday morning, an "accident."

This so easily could have been any of us. I hope the driver is held accountable.

Yes, every comment about dangerous driving is correct. BUT let's not lose sight of the fact that that particular intersection is TERRIBLE. Cars coming out of the shops have to go down a small gulch and up on to the heavily "crowned" Charleston. Turning left is from one lane only and the cars in the next lane over are either going straight, also through the gulch, or turning right avoiding oncoming cars which are either turning or going straight into the shops.

I think the whole issue is a typically poor decision on the part of Mountain View's capability to successfully plan traffic flows, pedestrian safety, and irrational growth of poorly planned business development. I think it is a fair criticism to lay most of the blame on poor governing and planning.

At the very least, there should be upgraded stoplights so that ALL pedestrians have a chance to live a full life. Sure it will slow things down, but tell that to this poor guys loved ones. I don't think blinking lights are sufficient. Blaming poor driving just doesn't work. Every person in a car believes (I think) that he or she is an excellent driver. Time for excellent traffic control!

Wow. This is a tough crowd. I hope all you haters of the driver are sure that you have never made a mistake while driving and have always been 100% alert. This driver may have been looking forward toward the oncoming cars waiting for a clearing to turn left and then quickly turned left without seeing the pedestrian. It was a mistake, yes, but there has been no indication that the driver was reckless or distracted. I'm sure this mistake will impact the driver for the rest of his life but try as we might, none of us are perfect- mistakes are made, accidents happen, some with deadly consequences. I think that the blinking lights would be a huge safety improvement because the intersection is chaotic and the lights attract your attention to the pedestrian.

I'm sorry, but not checking for a pedestrian in the middle of the crosswalk fits my definition of reckless driving.

When this intersection began serving all of the traffic from the shopping center my wife, them a city employee, e-mailed the staff regarding the inherent danger in the very poor design of this intersection when compared to all of the other intersections within the city. She was told that statistical evidence didn"t support her concerns. The staff should get off of their high horse and listen to employee concerns. How can the death of this man be called an accident given this poor design?

I agree with Mike. I called the city twice a few years ago requesting flashing lights at the intersection by the old Safeway and Califirnia. I was basically told there had not been a death at that intersection so it wasn't dangerous enough and that they would not put flashing lights at an intersection with a traffic light. I have seen a man in a wheelchair hit at that intersection and shudder to think how many times myself and my family has had to jump out of the way of an accelerating car turning into California. How many people have to be hit for the city to take action when the public expresses concern over dangerous intersections?

Why are you guys blaming the city? One person dies in all the years this has been built and it's a design problem? Distracted driving, speeding, impatience, incompetence and heavy traffic is the problem. Not the intersection.

Blinking lights at the crosswalk? Really? [Portion removed; the investigation is ongoing and speculation is inappropriate.] What would blinking lights do?

We need more enforcement of the existing laws. Cops should be hiding in the bushes and citing each and every one of these distracted drivers, stoplight runners, speeders, etc. Their insurance rates go up. Maybe enough points happen and their licenses are suspended. And the city gets to keep a small amount of the ticket revenue (most goes to the state/county I believe). Revenue neutral or maybe a bit of extra $ to fund safety programs.. Best of all, the streets are safer!

Of course, the police will pull over one of you. And then you will bellyache that they should be spending their time catching real criminals.

"Well, I didn't come to a complete stop, but it was safe! I swear! I'm a good driver! You need to pull over the illegals!"

I'd like to read more about what happened there after the investigation is complete.

I suggest install not more expensive traffic lights, but stops signs on every corner (as in San Francisco). Also, to the police department: ticketing needs to be done for people who do not stop before turning right at a stop sign or a red light. Sadly, I have seen police officers do this also in Mountain View.

Is deaths the only statistic that matters? Has anyone seen the condition and cost a major automobile injury can be? Even a small one? My suggestion to the city: Please keep statistics on injuries and the long term conditions of those too with regard to traffic accidents. Even non-injury traffic accidents should have statistics readily available to the public. Where can one easily get statistics on traffic injuries in the city of Mountain View?

This is a very tragic accident that can be avoided by greater diligence upon the pedestrian. You must walk defensively, use no cell phones, and be constantly aware of cars around you. Traffic is much too crazy these days not to follow these simple rules. It is sad, but you must cross roads as if it is mine field that requires you stay 100 percent aware of everything around you and whats coming down the road and at what speed. Otherwise tragic accidents will continue to happen, with the pedestrian always the loser.

Don't blame the victim, Dennis!

Nothing I have read says the victim could or should have done anything differently to save himeself. He was half way across the street when a car moving much faster than him ran him down. Even if he had seen the car, what should he have done? Ran forward? Turn and run backwards? Run sideways? The car is so much bigger and so much faster than you that trying to out run it could just as easily put you more directly in its path.

Dennis, stop it please. Your broken ideology is not only illogical for this fatality, it is cruel.
The "Get out of the way" attitude speaks volumes about how you might drive on the road. Also, I promise you, if you hit a pedestrian in your car, the driver's life will be changed forever as well. We need lots and lots of tickets to reset this broken mindset that some obviously have. If you speed and drive aggressively, be very afraid. Justice will be served.

"I hope all you haters of the driver are sure that you have never made a mistake while driving and have always been 100% alert"

You're either a troll or your thinking is defective.

"but there has been no indication that the driver was reckless or distracted"

He drove over a person in broad daylight. Are you suggesting it was intentional?

@Dennis

"You must walk defensively, use no cell phones, and be constantly aware of
cars around you"

And what must you do when you are in a crosswalk, and a car that was stopped heads straight for you?

This is a terrible tragedy and Bob was a great guy. Unfortunately, a pedestrian can do everything right and still be injured or dead due to an inattentive driver. Yesterday, at a crosswalk in Cupertino, I stopped near a school to let a mother and child cross in the crosswalk. A driver, who had already picked up her child, was headed the opposite way and decided not to stop for the pedestrians. Instead she went out of her way to drive on the shoulder to avoid them and to avoid having to stop. People need to slow down, pay attention, and learn traffic laws.

Bob was a very good person who will be missed. My very sincerest condolences to his family. Having read all the 'traffic debate comment' above, I hope no one loses sight of the pain this causes Bob's family and those who knew him. I hope people follow the family's wishes and make a donation to the Memorial Fund at Hidden Villa in his honor (see article for an easy, direct link).

As far as the traffic debate, I was the first car stopped at a red light at that very intersection ~16years ago. Right before my eyes I saw a bicyclist riding with right-of-way thru that intersection hit by a speeding car illegally running a red light. I called 911 and was asked to stay as a witness. No other cars stayed. I think if one wants to drive, one has to be a 100% responsible driver and mindful person.

All of that having been said, my thoughts turn back to Bob's family. Sincerely, Sharon Jacobs🌺