Fatal pedestrian crash at North Academy & Vickers in Colorado Springs restricts traffic for three hours Wednesday morning

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - A man has died after being struck by a car just before 6:30 a.m. Wednesday on northbound Academy Boulevard, east of Vickers Drive.

According to the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD), the victim tried to cross the busy street away from the crosswalk at Vickers when he was hit.

"It was probably too dark at the time for the driver to see him," an officer at the scene said. "The driver remained on-scene and is cooperating. He doesn't appear to have been impaired or anything like that. He said that he looked behind him for a second, and when he looked forward is when the impact happened."

Southbound traffic on Academy was reduced to one lane around the crash scene, and northbound Academy traffic was detoured at Vickers before authorities cleared the scene just before 9:30 a.m.

CSPD's Major Crash Team is investigating the incident.

"Traffic crashes like this one should be a stark reminder to always keep your head on a swivel," said CSPD spokesman Ira Cronin. "Keep your eyes on the road. Be mindful of where you're crossing. If you're a pedestrian, or even a motorcyclist or bicyclist, never assume that a vehicle sees you."

Shortly after authorities cleared the scene, KRDO 13's crew saw a man jaywalking on Academy, just a few feet from where the pedestrian died.

"Use the crosswalk, make sure you wait for the light and the sign to be in your favor," Cronin advised. "The small things can add up a lot. But these things can happen. No one plans on them, and they're always unfortunate."

This is a developing story. We will continue to update this article as more information becomes available.

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