Pedestrian dies in Newport Blvd. accident

A 51-year-old pedestrian was struck by a car and killed in Costa Mesa, police said Wednesday.

David Hird, a Costa Mesa resident, walked in front of a car driven by a 26-year-old Irvine woman at 5 p.m. Monday while crossing Newport Boulevard near Rochester Street, according to a Costa Mesa Police Department press release.

The driver was reportedly headed northbound in the No. 2 lane of Newport when Hird walked eastbound in front of her.

Witnesses had seen Hird walking eastbound across the northbound lanes of Newport shortly before the accident, according to police. He apparently was crossing in front of oncoming traffic.

An ambulance took Hird to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, where he was pronounced dead at 6 p.m. Monday.

The driver, who was examined by police at the scene, did not show any signs of intoxication and was not cited or charged.

Witnesses or anyone with information related to the accident are encouraged to call CMPD Traffic Investigator Darren Wood at (714) 754-5264.

— John Canalis