San Jose City Council candidate Jenny Higgins Bradanini struck and killed a 66-year-old man while driving her vehicle earlier this week.
District 10 candidate Higgins Bradanini left a meeting at San Jose City Hall late Monday morning and was driving to her doctor in Los Gatos when she fatally struck and killed Timothy Starkey, of Santa Cruz, on the 900 block of Blossom Hill Road, according to her campaign consultant Eric Stroker.
Starkey died at the scene. Higgins Bradanini, the only occupant in the vehicle, was not arrested.
In a statement first released to San Jose Spotlight on Wednesday evening, Higgins Bradanini said that she was “heartbroken and deeply saddened by this tragic death.”
“My heart goes out to the man’s family and loved ones as they are suffering this tragic loss,” Higgins Bradanini said in the statement. “Words cannot adequately express my sorrow, and I ask for your support in sending your thoughts and condolences to the devastated family.”
Higgins Bradanini, president and co-founder of Women’s March Bay Area, said that she will be taking time to “recover from this accident and grieve the loss of life.”
It is unclear at this time whether she will continue her campaign to represent residents in the city’s Almaden Valley area. Stroker said she is “requesting privacy for the family impacted and for her as she processes her next steps.”
Higgins Bradanini was one of three candidates who qualified to put their names on the March 2020 ballot for the council’s district 10 seat, which will be vacated by councilmember Johnny Khamis who has termed out and is running for State Senate District 15.
She faces tech entrepreneur Matt Mahan and businesswoman Helen Wang.
Mahan — who has served on the Almaden Valley Community Association, the District 10 Leadership Coalition and the city’s Clean Energy Community Advisory Commission — was endorsed by the Silicon Valley Organization PAC, as well as Mayor Sam Liccardo, Vice Mayor Chappie Jones and councilmembers Pam Foley and Lan Diep.
Higgins Bradanini — who previously served as a policy aide for former Councilmember Donald Rocha — was endorsed by the South Bay Labor Council, the Santa Clara County Democratic Party and San Jose Teacher Association.
This story will be updated.