Pedestrian dies after crash with motorist on Costa Mesa’s Newport Boulevard

Costa Mesa police are investigating a fatal collision that took place Monday night near the juncture of Broadway and Newport Boulevard, where a pedestrian was struck by a motorist and later died from his injuries, according to police.

Department spokeswoman Roxi Fyad said the incident took place shortly before 10:15 p.m., when officers were called to an area near the intersection of Newport and Harbor boulevards and discovered both the pedestrian and driver still at the scene.

Members of CMPD’s Major Accident Investigations Team were summoned to handle the investigation. The pedestrian — identified by coroner’s officials Wednesday as 55-year-old Jose Rosario Rojas Moreno, of Costa Mesa, according to sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Matthew Parrish — was transported to a nearby hospital and succumbed to his injuries at around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The driver of the vehicle, whose name is not being released to the public, remained at the scene and cooperated with police, according to Fyad. No arrest was made, though it is unclear whether drugs or alcohol may have played a role in the incident.

Investigators believe the motorist was traveling northbound on Newport Boulevard at the time of the incident, while the pedestrian is believed to have been walking in a crosswalk.

A photo posted on Facebook showed a red vehicle that appears to be custom built stopped in front of a lighting store on Newport Boulevard, just south of Broadway, with investigators around it. Fyad on Tuesday did not provide details on the vehicle’s make or model.

An investigator at the scene of a fatal crash Monday near the intersection of Newport and Harbor boulevards involving a vehicle and a pedestrian.

(Jorge Sanchez)