Raleigh pedestrian hit and killed when one driver stopped and another could not

A woman was hit and killed as she tried to cross Poole Road late Thursday night, and police say they’re investigating the circumstances.

Police say Tiffany Alexander was crossing Poole near Beverly Drive at about 9:38 p.m. and was hit by an SUV. Alexander, 36, was taken to a hospital where she later died.

Alexander was not crossing at an intersection or a crosswalk, according to police. They say it appears to be a case of one driver stopping as Alexander crossed while a second driver moved into the adjacent lane and hit her.

Police say the driver of a GMC Envoy was going west on Poole in the left lane when the vehicle in front stopped suddenly. Police say the driver of the Envoy swerved into the right lane to avoid hitting the stopped vehicle just as Alexander crossed in front.

Police have not cited either driver but say their investigation of the crash is not complete.

The intersection of Poole Road and Beverly Drive was shut down for more than three hours Thursday as a result of the crash.

Raleigh had an unusually high number of pedestrian deaths in 2022 but fewer of them last year. Countywide, 19 people on foot were killed in vehicle crashes in 2023, down from 34 the year before, according to the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles.