Jesse Katches Identified as Victim in Fatal Fremont Hit-and-Run on Stevenson Boulevard; Police Seek Second Driver.

FREMONT, Calif. — A community is in mourning and police are searching for clues after a devastating pedestrian crash claimed the life of a local resident earlier this week. The Fremont Police Department has publicly identified the victim as 37-year-old Jesse Katches, who died following a harrowing chain-reaction collision involving two separate vehicles on a major city thoroughfare .

The incident, which occurred on the evening of Monday, February 10, 2026, marks the fourth traffic-related fatality recorded within Fremont city limits since the calendar turned to 2026, raising concerns about roadway safety on the city’s busiest arterials .

The Incident: A Mid-Block Crossing Turns Tragic

The Fremont Police Department and Fremont Fire personnel were dispatched to the scene on Stevenson Boulevard at approximately 8:32 p.m. following multiple 911 calls reporting a pedestrian down in the roadway . The location was described as a stretch of Stevenson Boulevard between Sundale Drive and Blacow Road, a zone characterized by moderate to heavy traffic flow even in the evening hours.

According to the preliminary investigation conducted by the Fremont Police Traffic Unit, Katches attempted to cross Stevenson Boulevard at a mid-block location. Police confirmed that the crossing occurred roughly 200 feet west of the signalized intersection at Sundale Drive, meaning Katches was not in a marked crosswalk at the time of the incident .

As Katches entered the westbound lanes, he stepped into the path of a Toyota Scion traveling in the number two lane—the lane second furthest from the left-hand shoulder. The Scion struck Katches with significant force, and the impact hurled his body into the number one lane, the lane immediately adjacent to the center divider .

A Driver Cooperates, Another Flees

The driver of the Toyota Scion acted in accordance with the law immediately following the collision. Police reported that the driver pulled over to the shoulder of the road, remained at the scene, and has been fully cooperative with investigators . Authorities have confirmed that alcohol and drugs are not suspected as contributing factors for this driver, and they exhibited no signs of impairment.

Tragically, the sequence of events did not end with the first collision. In the chaotic moments immediately following the initial impact, as Katches lay incapacitated in the far left westbound lane, a second westbound vehicle struck him. Unlike the first driver, this motorist did not stop. The vehicle continued west on Stevenson Boulevard, disappearing into the night and leaving the victim lying in the roadway .

Emergency responders, including paramedics from Fremont Fire, worked quickly to stabilize Katches at the scene before transporting him by ambulance to a local hospital. Despite all life-saving efforts, attending physicians pronounced him dead shortly after arrival. The Alameda County Coroner’s Office subsequently responded to the medical facility to assume custody of his remains and worked throughout the week to notify next of kin, leading to the public identification on Thursday morning .

The Search for the Second Vehicle

As of Thursday afternoon, the second vehicle and its driver remain unidentified. Police have expanded their investigation to include a thorough canvass of the surrounding residential and commercial areas for surveillance footage. Investigators are also appealing to anyone who was driving on Stevenson Boulevard near Blacow Road or Sundale Drive between 8:25 p.m. and 8:35 p.m. to come forward, regardless of whether they believe they saw the crash.

“The driver of the second vehicle may not have realized immediately that they struck a person, given the low-light conditions and the fact that the victim was already lying in the roadway,” a police spokesperson noted. However, authorities are also preparing for the possibility that the driver fled intentionally to avoid responsibility.

Witnesses who may have seen a vehicle with fresh front-end damage or a driver acting suspiciously in the western neighborhoods of Fremont later that night are urged to contact authorities.

A Grim Statistic: Fourth Fatality of 2026

The death of Jesse Katches marks a sobering milestone for the city of Fremont. It is the fourth traffic fatality recorded within the city since January 1, 2026 . This rapid succession of deaths has put the Fremont Police Department’s Traffic Unit and local transportation safety advocates on high alert.

For context, pedestrian safety on boulevards like Stevenson has been a recurring focus for city planners. Stevenson Boulevard functions as a primary arterial route traversing the southern expanse of the Bay Area city, carrying high volumes of commuter traffic at speeds that can prove lethal in a split-second interaction with a pedestrian.

While police have confirmed that Katches was crossing outside of a designated crosswalk—a factor that likely reduced reaction time for the initial driver—the fact that a second driver left the scene compounds the tragedy . Leaving the scene of an injury accident, especially a fatal one, carries severe penalties under California law, including felony hit-and-run charges.

Investigation and Community Response

The precise sequence of events preceding the fatal crossing remains under active investigation by the Fremont Police Traffic Unit. Investigators are reconstructing the final moments of Katches’s life to determine traffic density, vehicle speeds, and visibility conditions at the time of the first impact.

The driver of the Toyota Scion, who sustained no physical injuries, has provided detailed statements to investigators regarding the sudden appearance of a pedestrian in the travel lane. This information will be factored into the final collision reconstruction report, which is expected to be completed in the coming weeks.

The Fremont community has taken to social media to express condolences for Katches’s family and to express frustration over the city’s recent spate of traffic fatalities. Local neighborhood groups are once again calling for enhanced lighting, speed mitigation measures, and stricter enforcement of pedestrian right-of-way laws along the Stevenson Boulevard corridor.

How You Can Help

Authorities are asking for the public’s assistance in locating the driver of the second vehicle and identifying the vehicle involved. Anyone who may have witnessed the crash, or who may have been driving in the area and has dashboard camera footage, is urged to contact the Fremont Police Department Traffic Unit.

· Traffic Unit Tip Line: 510-790-6760
· Anonymous SMS Tips: Text “Tip FremontPD” followed by your message to 888-777 .
· Online: Tips can be submitted via the city’s website at https://www.fremontpolice.gov/Tip

As the investigation continues, the Fremont Police Department has reiterated that any information, no matter how small it may seem, could prove crucial in bringing a measure of closure to the family and friends of Jesse Katches and ensuring that justice is served.