{"id":321978,"date":"2026-05-19T00:01:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T00:01:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/321978\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T00:01:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T00:01:13","slug":"oakland-mayor-offers-thoughts-and-prayers-after-driver-kills-three-people-on-international-blvd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/321978\/","title":{"rendered":"Oakland Mayor Offers ‘Thoughts and Prayers’ After Driver Kills Three People on International Blvd"},"content":{"rendered":"

Three people were killed and several others were injured when a driver went onto the sidewalk at International and 85th Street in East Oakland on Saturday night (more on ABC7<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Advisory: Just before 11:15 PM, A vehicle struck cars & pedestrians at 85th & International. <\/p>\n

\u2013 3 Deceased on Arrival
\u2013 3 transported to local hospitals (2 critical, 1 serious)
\u2013 2 others awaiting medical transport (including the suspect) with minor injures). <\/p>\n

Avoid the area.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Oakland Fire Department (CA) (@OaklandFireCA) May 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The mayor\u2019s statement? The usual \u201cthoughts and prayers,\u201d albeit not literally<\/a> this time:<\/p>\n

Oakland is mourning the lives lost in last night\u2019s tragic crash at International Boulevard and 85th Avenue in East Oakland. Our hearts are with the victims, their families, loved ones, and all of those impacted.<\/p>\n

Thank you to the Oakland Police Department, Oakland Fire Department, and our first responders.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Streetsblog has requested elaboration from the city on what, if anything, is on offer beyond sympathies. Either way, it\u2019s clear that Oakland<\/a>, and many other cities,<\/a> despite their \u2018Vision Zero\u2019 pledges, have decided that it\u2019s not important to prevent such crashes. Or at least not as important as facilitating an unimpeded flow of motor vehicles.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe driver was recklessly speeding on 85th past Highland and lost control when turning into International,\u201d said Traffic Violence Rapid Response\u2019s Bryan Culbertson<\/a> and District 7 Bicyclist & Pedestrian Advisory Commissioner Tonya Love<\/a> in a joint statement. \u201cIt should not have been possible for anyone to speed this fast here, especially on a residential street next to a school.\u201d<\/p>\n

Love and Culbertson want to see more traffic circles<\/a>. In Streetsblog\u2019s view, that\u2019s a great start. In addition, the corners need concrete blocks and obstacles. Oakland has plenty of funds for this when it comes to deterring encampments, such as with this recent installation in Jack London Square:<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: Streetsblog\/Rudick<\/p>\n

Concrete can and does save lives when used to keep vulnerable road users safe. In the picture below in Brooklyn, a heavy, powerful Cyber Truck driver hit a concrete and steel pedestrian refuge device that disabled the car. The car was damaged, pedestrians were not.<\/p>\n

Ironically, citizens of Oakland\u2019s San Antonio neighborhood seem to know how to do this better than the professionals. Back in 2024<\/a>, OakDOT removed citizen installations that were capable of stopping such drivers before they kill.<\/p>\n

\"\"A still from KTVU\u2019s story on guerrilla safety installations in San Antonio<\/p>\n

Because as much as we all appreciate\u00a0the plastic posts that helped improve things on International<\/a>, it\u2019s not enough. Nor are the curbs\/protected intersections in Chinatown<\/a> or the protected bike lanes on 14th<\/a>, which take way too long to get approved and installed.<\/p>\n

\"\"An \u201cerratic\u201d driver who didn\u2019t kill or injure anyone but themselves, thanks to a citizen installation, since removed. Photo from San Antonio advocates<\/p>\n

Safety obstacles such as concrete blocks, planters, or even well-marked tires, as was the case in San Antonio, force motorists to put down their cell phones and drive the speed limit. They\u2019re cheap and easy to install. Does this mean that occasionally an otherwise competent driver will have a brain fart and damage a fender? Sometimes. Does it mean egregiously reckless drivers will get seriously injured as a result of their own speeding, as happened with the driver pictured above? Sometimes. But it\u2019s either that or the wholesale slaughter continues, as happened Saturday night in East Oakland.<\/p>\n

\u201cNeighbors have been expressing concerns about speeding for a long time, including at recent community forums about the community-led traffic calming effort at 85th and A Street,\u201d said Culbertson and Love. \u201cThe City of Oakland should prioritize working with neighbors to rapidly calm 85th to safe speeds to prevent future tragedies.\u201d<\/p>\n