An evening accident on River Road west of the McHenry Avenue intersection resulted in the death of a pedestrian on Wednesday night, Nov. 18.

According to the California Highway Patrol office in Stockton, the incident occurred about 7:40 p.m. when the pedestrian – identified by authorities as 24-year-old John Duncan of Escalon – was struck by an eastbound vehicle. CHP Officers said Duncan was walking westbound on River Road along the south shoulder and for an unknown reason stepped into the eastbound lane. The 48-year-old male driver of the eastbound Toyota 4-runner, also from Escalon, was traveling about 55 mph, according to the CHP report, and the front of his vehicle struck the pedestrian when he entered the roadway The pedestrian was thrown upon impact, coming to rest within the eastbound lane. Duncan was taken to Doctors Hospital in Modesto and later succumbed to his injuries.

The investigation is ongoing.