73-year-old man fatally struck by car while jogging in Murrieta

A 73-year-old man was fatally struck by a car while on a jog in Murrieta over the weekend, according to police. 

In a news release shared on social media, the Murrieta Police Department said the crash happened just before 7 a.m. near the intersection of Whitewood Road and Meadowlark Lane. 

"Preliminary investigation indicates a vehicle was traveling southbound on Whitewood Road when a 73-year-old male pedestrian entered the roadway and was struck," the release said. "The pedestrian is believed to have been out for a jog at the time of the collision. Dense fog was also present."

Police said that the driver, only identified as a 52-year-old woman, attempted to swerve to avoid hitting the pedestrian, who has since been identified by the Riverside County Sheriff's Coroner as Nabil Alsalek. 

Paramedics rushed Alsalek to the nearby Inland Valley Medical Center, where, despite life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead. 

"At this time, neither alcohol nor drugs are believed to have been contributing factors in the collision," police said.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation and anyone who may know more was asked to contact Murrieta PD Traffic Investigator Dale De Schepper at 951-440-2304 or ddeschepper@murrietaca.gov.