SAN FRANCISCO – On January 31, 2020, a jury acquitted Troylene Trammell, 57, of vehicular manslaughter, finding Ms. Trammell was not negligent. The tragic accident on a March 2017 night took the life of a woman crossing an unregulated crosswalk at Mission and Ney Streets.
Jurors learned that the crosswalk was positioned mid-block, with no signage or traffic lights at the time. The low visibility in that area made it difficult for drivers to see pedestrians. Surveillance video showed that other drivers in front of Ms. Trammel also had not stopped despite a pedestrian in the crosswalk. By the time Ms. Trammell saw the woman, who had almost finished crossing, it was too late. The woman was taken to the hospital where she died hours later.
Deputy Public Defender Seiya Johnson explained that Ms. Trammell has been a pillar of her community in the Bayview, dedicating her life to mentoring disadvantaged youths. She also is the primary caregiver for her disabled adult sister, who was in the car with her that night. The jurors heard from Ms. Trammell’s son and a close friend who testified about her character. The jury ultimately determined that this was a terrible accident rather than the result of any negligence.
“The jurors were incredibly thoughtful and even presented a note to the judge attached to their verdict, asking if there was anything they could do to make that intersection safer,” said Johnson. “This was a very emotional case, and there is no happy ending. A woman lost her life and Ms. Trammell’s heart will forever ache for the woman and her family.”
