Young Oakland man killed by dislodged fire hydrant

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Jun 23, 2007 | by Harry Harris

OAKLAND -- Humberto Hernandez never saw the 200-pound flying piece of iron that killed him and veteran police officers could not remember ever seeing anything like this accident.

Hernandez, 24, was killed Thursday evening when he was hit by an airborne fire hydrant that was dislodged from the sidewalk when it was struck by an SUV, police said.

Motorcycle Officer Eddie Bermudez, who is investigating the death, said Friday it was "a million-to-one chance" that something like this could happen to someone.

Bermudez said if Hernandez had been one step ahead or one step behind where he was on the sidewalk "he would not have gotten hit."

Police said the hydrant hit Hernandez -- who was walking with his wife -- in the back of the head, skipped off him and hit a fence before landing another 20 feet away.

Lt. Fausto Melara, a 25-year veteran and a longtime motorcycle officer, said, "I've seen a lot of accidents but never anything like this.

"I've seen people hit fire hydrants but never anyone killed by a flying fire hydrant."

Police said Hernandez was walking with his wife in the 900 block of 98th Avenue -- a short distance from his home -- about 5:52 p.m. Thursday.

Bermudez said Hernandez had just bought his wife some flowers and some cherries and they were walking to a restaurant at 98th Avenue and International Boulevard to have dinner.

Police said a 2007 Ford Escape driven northbound on 98th Avenue by a 45-year-old Danville woman who said a tire blew before the vehicle swerved onto the sidewalk.

Bermudez said police have not confirmed that the tire blew. He said the driver told police she was not talking on a cell phone or was distracted in any other way.

When the SUV smashed into the hydrant, the impact and released water launching it at a 45-degree angle toward Hernandez, who was about 10 feet away walking northbound on same side of the street.

Police are not sure if the hydrant might have skipped off the pavement before hitting 5-foot-6 Hernandez in the back of his head.

"He was walking a bit ahead of his wife and then, all of a sudden, he is in the line of fire," Bermudez said.

After hitting Hernandez, the hydrant still had enough velocity to ricochet through a fence before stopping.

That was especially surprising to police, including one officer who said, "You can't even pick those things up."

Hernandez was pronounced dead at the scene. His wife was not hurt.

She could not be reached for comment Friday. Bermudez said he was told that the couple had recently come to the United States and were living in a trailer.

The wife, he was told, "has no relatives here, no money, no nothing. It was just her and her husband."

Police are asking anyone who witnessed what happened to call investigators at 238-3156.