Laguna Beach Canyon Closes for Investigation into Pedestrian Traffic Accident

Originally posted at 12:17 p.m. May 7, 2014. Edited to fix headline.

Police closed Laguna Canyon Road this morning to accommodate an investigation into death of an art student struck by a car in a crosswalk connecting two buildings at the Laguna College of Art and Design.

The canyon road was closed in the 2200 block about 10 a.m. and reopened about 11:30 a.m., Laguna Beach police Capt. Jason Kravetz said.

"Today was the only day we could get the forensic mapping team out there to help us out" with the investigation of the collision that killed 22- year-old Nina Karen Fitzpatrick, Kravetz said.

Fitzpatrick was in a crosswalk that connects two campus buildings at 2222 Laguna Canyon Road April 3 when she was struck by a car driven by an 83- year-old woman, Kravetz said. Fitzpatrick died four days later.

Extra officers were assigned to the area to help direct traffic, Kravetz said. Business owners and workers were being allowed through, but other motorists were being detoured at El Toro Road and at Canyon Acres, Kravetz said.

The city also put up message boards and sent out text alerts to residents.

--City News Service