A 57-year-old pedestrian was killed in a collision with an SUV in the Sunset Heights neighborhood of Central El Paso on a Wednesday afternoon. The El Paso Police Department responded to the crash scene at approximately 4:59 p.m. on February 4, 2026. The incident occurred on West Rio Grande Avenue, with the precise location reported as the 300 block, near Los Angeles Drive.
The victim has been identified by authorities as Arturo Frias Moreno, a 57-year-old resident of El Paso. The preliminary investigation by police indicates Moreno was attempting to cross West Rio Grande Avenue at the time of the collision. He was not crossing at a designated crosswalk when he stepped into the path of a westbound vehicle.
The vehicle involved was a 2014 Audi Q7 SUV, driven by 31-year-old Francisco Landa of El Paso. The Audi was traveling west on West Rio Grande Avenue when it struck Arturo Frias Moreno as he crossed the street. The impact caused critical injuries to Moreno. Emergency medical services responded promptly and transported him to a local hospital for urgent treatment.
Despite lifesaving efforts by medical personnel, Arturo Frias Moreno succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital. His passing was later confirmed by the El Paso Police Department. The driver of the Audi, Francisco Landa, remained at the scene following the crash and cooperated with investigators.
The Special Traffic Investigations (STI) unit of the El Paso Police Department is conducting an active inquiry into the circumstances of the crash. The investigation is standard procedure for a fatal traffic incident. Officials have not announced any citations or arrests, and the case remains open as they work to determine all contributing factors.
This fatality is officially recorded as the sixth traffic death in the city of El Paso for the year 2026. At the same point in the previous year, the city had recorded five traffic fatalities. The tragic incident underscores ongoing roadway safety challenges in the community.
