Fall River woman seriously injured in pedestrian crash that killed pet dog succumbs to injuries after brave fight

Family members say a woman who was seriously injured in a collision that killed her pet dog has died.

Family told Fall River Reporter on August 12th that despite reports that she had died, the victim, identified as Jessica Ortiz, was in very critical condition but still fighting for her life.

She succumbed to her injuries on Friday despite a brave fight.

Jessica’s family released the following statement.

“Jessica was an amazing daughter and an amazing sister. She always looked after everyone and made sure that her family and the people around her were okay. She was always caring for others and always putting everyone else before herself.

“She fought as hard as she could, and she held on long enough for our family to have the chance to say goodbye to her. Now she is gone, and she leaves a huge emptiness in all of our hearts. She is now at peace and reunited with her beloved dog, Leo.

“What our family wants now is justice. We want justice for Jessica. We don’t want her to become just another number on a list. She was a daughter, a sister, a godmother, a friend, and a person who meant so much to so many people. Her life mattered, and we want the person responsible to be held accountable.”

At approximately 9:15 p.m. on Sunday, July 19th, her and her dog were hit on Brayton Avenue near the Route 24 exit.

She sustained critical injuries and was transported to a trauma center.

According to a family friend and a GoFundMe fundraiser, shortly after the incident, doctors had been performing CT scans every six hours on Jessica to closely monitor the bleeding and pressure in her brain.

At last word, the incident was still under investigation by the Major Crimes Division and members of the Accident Reconstruction Unit.