Woman who died after vehicle hit her on July 4 in Indio identified
The Riverside County Coroner identified the woman who was hit by a vehicle on the night of July 4 in Indio as 75-year-old Estela Garza, a resident of Bermuda Dunes. Police say an initial investigation of the crash suggests Garza died after stepping off a center median and into the roadway, where she was hit.
According to the Indio Police Department, officers first responded to the crash, which occurred at the intersection of Golf Center Parkway and Avenue 44 just north of Interstate 10 in north Indio, around 11 p.m. Saturday, July 4. After arriving, officers determined the woman was suffering from major injuries. They attempted to provide lifesaving measures to the woman before she was brought to a hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
The department's public information officer, Abe Plata, said in a press release that an initial investigation suggests a white Audi was traveling northbound on Golf Center Parkway when it struck the pedestrian, who had just stepped off the center median and into the roadway.
Plata did not name the driver who hit the woman in the release but described him as a 50-year-old man who remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. He did not mention if the driver would face charges but said the cause of the crash remains under investigation and that updates would be provided as appropriate.
A stretch of Golf Center Parkway surrounding the crash site reopened early Sunday, July 5, after being closed for about three hours while officers documented the scene and collected evidence. Plata said the department is looking for people who witnessed the crash or have video footage of it, so if you fit either description, call Indio Police Department Traffic Investigator Peddycord at 760-391-4303 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at (760) 341-STOP.
Paul Albani-Burgio covers growth, development and business in the Coachella Valley. Email him at paul.albani-burgio@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Woman who died after vehicle hit her on July 4 in Indio identified
Reporting by Paul Albani-Burgio, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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This story was originally published July 5, 2026 at 3:58 PM.