Police report: March included fatal crosswalk collision that killed Arlene Ocampo; investigators cite red‑light running

The Burlingame Police Department told the Traffic Safety and Parking Commission that nine collisions occurred in March, including two that involved pedestrians and one fatal pedestrian collision.

A department representative said the fatal collision involved Arlene Ocampo, who was struck while crossing in the south crosswalk at Truesdale and El Camino in the early morning hours. "It was still dark, and the motorist was traveling south on El Camino, sped up, ran a red light, and unfortunately struck her in the crosswalk," the officer said. Police characterized the crash as involving running a red light and said witnesses and initial statements indicated limited visibility. The department said it would continue investigating the incident.

The police report also described other collisions in March: five vehicle‑to‑vehicle collisions, two collisions with fixed objects or other objects, and two pedestrian‑involved collisions (one fatal and one with minor injury). Officers described a separate incident where a driver mistakenly hit the gas while parking and struck a building, and another crash involving a Tesla in automated driving mode that made an unexpected turn and struck another Tesla, resulting in minor injuries.

Commissioners asked whether lighting may have contributed to the fatal crash; the police representative said lighting was discussed in interviews but, in that case, the driver said they had trouble seeing at night. Staff said they would follow up on lighting concerns as part of broader discussions about crosswalks and coordination with San Mateo and Caltrans on corridor improvements.

Next steps: the police department continues its collision investigation; commissioners asked staff to examine crosswalk visibility and agency coordination for potential short‑term mitigations.