Screenshot 2021 08 26 07.31.20 — The crosswalk where Princeton resident Pinghua Xu was hit last week. This photo is from our archive. The intersection now has a pedestrian crossing signal that Pinghua Xu activated before he crossed the street. A driver still hit him. Many people speed on the road and concerns have been raised about the safety of the intersection several times.

Pinghua Xu, 82, of Princeton, has died as a result of the injuries he sustained when a driver hit him as he walked across Rosedale Road at the crosswalk in front of Johnson Park Elementary School.

On Aug. 25 at about 8 a.m., he activated the pedestrian crossing signal located at the intersection of Rosedale Road and General Johnson Drive at the entrance to the Johnson Park School and then began walking in a northerly direction in an attempt to cross Rosedale Road. When he was in the eastbound lane, he was struck by a Lexus ES 350 that was driven by Princeton resident Anju Rai, 54, of Princeton, who was traveling east on Rosedale Road. Pinghua Xu was transported to the Capital Health Regional Medical Center, a level two trauma center, where he later died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash.

The driver has not been charged so far and the investigation into the incident is still ongoing as police continue to conduct interviews. Anyone who witnessed the crash should contact Detective Travis Allie at 609-921-2100 ext. 2123 or Detective Sgt. Ben Gering at ext. 1840.

The intersection where the crash occurred has been considered unsafe for many years, with both the local bicycle and pedestrian committee and the PTO at the elementary school raising concerns about the crosswalk there and the safety of pedestrians and school children. The speed limit is 45 miles per hour on Rosedale Road and then the speed limit changes to 25 miles per hour near the school. The intersection was flagged in a Safe Routes to School report in 2016.

Pinghua Xu was a frequent walker in the area, and many residents enjoyed seeing him on his regular walks.

Krystal Knapp

Website

Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.