Woman fatally struck in Palm Desert crosswalk identified

A woman who was fatally struck by a vehicle in Palm Desert on Monday afternoon has been identified by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

Luz Tovar, 57, of Palm Desert was rushed to the hospital after the crash. RSO confirmed that Tovar died at the hospital on Monday.

A full coroner's release on Tovar's death had not been released at the time of this publication.

According to Deputy Robyn Flores, public information officer for the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, the collision was reported at around 3:55 p.m. in the intersection of Shadow Mountain Drive and Portola Avenue, just a bit south of El Paseo.

The driver of the vehicle, a 19-year-old Palm Desert man, stayed at the scene and is cooperating with law enforcement. Drugs and/or alcohol are not believed to have played a role in the crash at this time.

The preliminary investigation shows that the driver was turning northbound onto Portola Ave. from eastbound Shadow Mountain Dr. The woman was crossing Portola Ave. westbound within the crosswalk when she was struck by the vehicle.

The investigation to determine the cause of the collision is ongoing.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or has further information is asked to call Deputy Bradley Stone of the Palm Desert Station's Traffic Team at (760) 836-1600.