The Life-Altering Impact of Traffic Violence: Jikaiah Stevens’ Story

Reminder: Today at 5 p.m. at City Hall, a hearing on the SFPD’s treatment of pedestrian and bicycle crashes will be held by the Police Commission and a Board of Supervisors committee. You’re invited to share your thoughts at the Board of Supervisors Chamber, Room 250.

We’ve heard the story too many times. A reckless driver strikes a person, at no fault of the victim’s, and the motorist faces no legal repercussions. It happens even in cases like that of 31-year-old Jikaiah Stevens, who was hit in a crosswalk by Wren Coe in September as she crossed on a green light. Even though witnesses attested to Coe running a red light, and Coe herself admitted fault, she didn’t get so much as a ticket.

Dolly Totes and her team produced this superb mini documentary, “Walk at Her Own Risk,” which tells Stevens’ story in the broader context of pedestrian safety in San Francisco. Stevens was also featured in an SF Chronicle story yesterday.

Stevens was left with medical bills of $143,000 and has suffered ailments like brain injury that caused a loss smell and taste, “extreme unexpected social anxiety,” and short-term memory loss. Police say they can’t cite or charge the driver because they didn’t witness the crash themselves. Stevens says no lawyer will take her case to sue Coe because Coe doesn’t have enough assets. An online fundraiser has been set up to help pay her bills.

“I say, I got hit by a car in a crosswalk, and they go, oh, so that person’s in a lot of trouble now, huh?” Stevens says. “I go, actually no, none. She doesn’t have to pay anything, and she got her license, and she can go hit anyone else she wants.”