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Woman, 85, struck dead on Harbor

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A sport-utility vehicle killed an elderly Palm Springs woman Friday night as she tried to cross Harbor Boulevard in Costa Mesa.

Minutes before midnight, police said 85-year-old Sunny Poate tried to cross Harbor toward Date Place, a small street leading into a residential neighborhood south of Gisler Avenue, across the street from the Target shopping center.

Poate was crossing at least eight lanes of traffic with only a small concrete island in the middle dividing one of Costa Mesa’s main thoroughfares. Police said though there is no marked crosswalk there; because it’s a T-intersection with Date Place it is considered legal to cross if pedestrians don’t impede traffic.

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Authorities said Fern Eisler, 52, of Irvine, was driving south in his Toyota 4Runner in the far right lane on Harbor and didn’t see Poate and hit her. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Eisler stopped at the scene and was rear-ended by 20-year-old Neal Eisler of Irvine, who was driving a Toyota Corolla. Both were uninjured from the crashes.

Police continue to investigate the incident. Anyone who may have witnessed or has information on the crash is asked to call Police Investigator Rick Cummings at (714) 754-5264.

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