The Chapel Hill Police Department is investigating a fatal collision that killed a pedestrian Friday night along one of the town’s busiest thoroughfares.

A release from the Town of Chapel Hill shortly after 11 p.m. said police officers responded at 7:41 p.m. to a report of a pedestrian hit by a driver in the 1800 block of Fordham Boulevard. That stretch of the highway — which runs between the intersection with Sage and Old Durham roads to the intersection with Eastowne Drive — has no sidewalks on either side.

Police said the pedestrian died at the scene of the crash. The town added in Friday’s alert that the driver of the vehicle remained at the scene as emergency responders and law enforcement arrived. As of Friday night, no other information about the incident is being made publicly available, according to police.

This marks the first fatal pedestrian crash reported in by the town government in 2025 — although two people were seriously injured in February after a hose fell off a Chapel Hill Fire truck as it drove to a car crash. There is no 2025 data on pedestrian or bicycle collisions on the town’s Vision Zero Dashboard, which tracks such incidents as part of the local government’s goal to “eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2031.” But a Town of Chapel Hill spokesperson confirmed to Chapelboro that Friday’s pedestrian crash was the first fatal one of the calendar year, and 12 total crashes involving pedestrians have been reported so far in 2025.

Chapel Hill documented and investigated six fatal pedestrian collisions from 2020 to 2024, including one along Fordham Boulevard in 2021.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
Chapel Hill to Launch New Youth Bicycling Program After $125,000 Award
After winning first place in a national grant program, the Town of Chapel Hill is set to jump-start a youth bicycle education program.
Chapel Hill Adding Public Art Installation to New Section of Bolin Creek Trail
The Bolin Creek Trail will soon be the home of two new murals, as work recently began on public art in the tunnel entries where Bolin Creek Trail passes under Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The Town of Chapel Hill’s Community Arts & Culture Division commissioned Raleigh-based muralist J Massullo – who has created numerous […]
Chapel Hill Considering Fordham Blvd. Greenway, Neighbors Advocate for Shared Street
Tab Combs stands at the entrance of her neighborhood, Little Ridgefield. The Hickory Road resident points out how an existing path from Cleland Drive down the street would connect with a new side path proposed by the Town of Chapel Hill. “We’re about 20 feet from the outside edge of Fordham Boulevard, and we’re standing […]
Construction, Renovation of Bolin Creek Trail Resumes After Delays
A 550-foot gap has sat in the Bolin Creek Trail for months. Those using the trail have had to cross busy Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to return to the trail instead of crossing under the bridge on the path. Now, after delays from Hurricanes Florence and Dorian and the coal ash remediation project along […]
Tech Company Announces New Corporate Headquarters on West Franklin Street
IotaComm, Inc., a wireless communications and data services company, will be relocating its corporate headquarters to the top floor of the office space at 200 West Franklin Street in downtown Chapel Hill. “We’re thrilled IotaComm is calling Chapel Hill home,” said David Putnam, the town’s economic development director. “Once again, Chapel Hill stands out among […]
Chapel Hill Police: Missing Teen Safely Located
UPDATE: Chapel Hill Police shared an alert Sunday morning that Kaydin Shelton has been safely located. The Chapel Hill Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a missing teenager. Police say 15-year-old Kaydin Shelton of Chapel Hill was last seen just before midnight Saturday night in the area of Legion Road and Ephesus […]
White Sauce Grill & Bar Now Open on West Franklin Street
White Sauce Grill & Bar, which offers Mediterranean gyros and platters, is now open at 104 West Franklin Street in downtown Chapel Hill. The restaurant moved into the space previously occupied by Trolly Stop Hot Dogs & Grill, which closed in October of 2023. The space – located between I Love N.Y. Pizza and Ben […]
Chapel Hill’s Weavers Grove Welcomes First Residents, Offering a Vision of Inclusive Homeownership
Weavers Grove, the long-anticipated mixed-income community spearheaded by Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, is officially coming to life in Chapel Hill.
Chapel Hill Hosts Annual Pride Promenade, Celebrates LGBTQ+ Community
Franklin Street was filled with color and celebration of LGBTQ+ visibility on Saturday, as Chapel Hill held its annual Pride Promenade.
Chapel Hill Police: Pedestrian Dies After Being Hit Along Fordham Boulevard
Chapel Hill police officers responded at 7:41 p.m. to a report of a pedestrian hit by a driver in the 1800 block of Fordham Boulevard.
›