Pedestrian dies, driver arrested after hit-and-run in southeast Salem

A 75-year-old man died three days after a pickup driver crashed into him near southeast Salem Winco before fleeing.

According to a statement from Salem Police, around 11:40 a.m. on Sunday, May 5, emergency responders were called to the 4100 block of Southeast Rickey Street where a man crossing the street was struck by a driver.

Police determined that the pedestrian was crossing Rickey Street about a block east of Lancaster Drive when he was struck by a pickup truck driver traveling west on the same street. The pedestrian was in the lane at the time.

The street runs next to a large shopping complex in southeast Salem that includes Winco and several fast food restaurants.

Pedestrian Randall D. Wilson of Salem was taken to Salem Hospital with injuries. He was later taken to a Portland area hospital for further treatment, where he died on Wednesday evening, May 8, according to a police statement.

Officers identified the driver as Ramiro G. Herrera and arrested him Sunday afternoon, May 12, at his home in Keizer. Herrera, 63, was arrested for failure to perform his duties as a driver.

Court records show no formal charges have been filed, and he was not listed as incarcerated on the Marion County Jail roster Monday.

Salem police spokeswoman Angela Hedrick declined to say whether the pedestrian had the right of way, saying prosecutors would have to clarify those details since the driver was arrested. Marion County Assistant District Attorney Brendan Murphy did not immediately respond to the same written question.

Salem police said they have investigated 11 serious collisions this year that left 11 people dead.

Contact reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian: (email protected) or 503-929-3053.

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Ardeshir Tabrizian has been covering criminal justice and housing for Salem Reporter since September 2021. An Oregon native, his award-winning watchdog journalism has crisscrossed the state. He has reported for The Oregonian, Eugene Weekly and Malheur Enterprise.