Man struck by car, killed on Highway 99

A 51-year-old Vancouver man was struck and killed by a car early Tuesday morning while crossing Highway 99 in Hazel Dell.

Dimitri Kitterman was dead when Clark County sheriff’s deputies responded to the crash at 5:13 a.m. near the intersection with Northeast 63rd Street, said sheriff’s Sgt. Steve Shea.

Shea said Kitterman had just stepped out into traffic, and wasn’t in a crosswalk, when he was hit by a green Toyota Tercel. The 21-year-old driver, Justin Chea, was driving north on the highway and had apparently looked over his shoulder and didn’t see the pedestrian, Shea said.

The man was hit in the second lane from the curb.

Shea said alcohol, drugs and speeding were not factors associated with the driver. It wasn’t immediately known whether the pedestrian was impaired by any substances, deputies said.

Sunrise was at 5:55 a.m, so it was still dark at the time of the crash.

Sheriff’s investigators spent most of the early morning processing evidence and analyzing the scene. Highway 99 northbound was closed for three hours following the crash.

Shea said jaywalking on Highway 99 is a common and dangerous occurrence. He reminded pedestrians to use designated crosswalks and wait for signals.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Randon Walker said Tuesday evening that investigators believe the accident was the pedestrian’s fault.