Pedestiran identified after deadly Indio collision

Authorities have identified the 40-year-old man who was struck and killed by a car while crossing an Indio roadway early Tuesday. Bernardo Aguiar of Indio died at the scene of the crash on Avenue 44, west of West Circle Drive. According to Indio Police Sgt. Dan Marshall, Aguiar was hit just before 6 p.m. Tuesday by a white Cadillac as he crossed Avenue 44. Bystanders and emergency responders attempted CPR on Aguiar, but he died of his injuries at the scene. The Cadillac driver, a 61-year-old Indio man, was cooperative with police, and was released following an interview with investigators, Marshall said. He was not injured in the crash, according to the sergeant. The cause of the crash remained under investigation, but alcohol and drugs did not appear to be factors. There aren’t many crosswalks in the area. Avenue 44 was closed in all directions between Jackson Street and Palo Verde while police investigated. On Monday evening, Jana Ploss, 64, of Palm Springs, was struck at 6:13 p.m. on Vista Chino, near Via Miraleste. Ploss was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead about 20 minutes after being struck, according to the coroner’s office.