BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT
Daily Post Staff Writer
A woman who was killed by an alleged drunk driver in Palo Alto’s Crescent Park neighborhood has been identified in court documents as Dr. Caroline Compton Sigman, 79, a prolific medical researcher.
Sigman in 1985 founded CCS Associates, a small business that helps government agencies and pharmaceutical companies with drug development and clinical trials, according to its website.
Sigman has authored or coauthored more than 175 journal articles and book chapters, the website said. Sigman received her undergraduate degree from Wellesley College in 1968 and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Northwestern University in 1972, according to her social media.
Sigman started her career as director of chemical and biological information at SRI International, where she worked from 1976 to 1985, her social media said.
Her research papers looked at different types of cancers and progress in chemotherapy. Sigman endorsed the city of Palo Alto’s 2008 library bond and lived in Crescent Park on Hamilton Avenue, a block away from the crash.
Ignacio Estrada, 52, of East Palo Alto, allegedly hit Sigman in a red Mitsubishi at the intersection of Forest Avenue and Lincoln Avenue on Wednesday at 9:05 p.m., police said.
He didn’t stop after the collision, police said.
Sigman was rushed to Stanford Hospital where she died at 11:26 p.m., according to the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s office.
While officers were on scene, someone reported another hit and run at Channing Avenue and Middlefield Road around 8:55 p.m. No one was injured in the crash.
Officers arrested Estrada around 10 p.m. at 1885 E. Bayshore Road, where he was parked along the curb by his mobile home, police said.
Estrada was charged yesterday with murder, DUI, hit and run and not having insurance. The charging document that named Sigman was filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court by Palo Alto’s Court Liaison Officer Paul Chamberlin.
Estrada is being held at the Main Jail with no bail allowed, according to the jail’s database.
Not excusing drunk driving, but pedestrians need to watch out for cars, They shouldn’t assume they always have the right of way. Get back on the sidewalk when you see a car barreling down the street!
God have mercy on both people, especially this man, God has plans no matter the age, and thats why he let him live to see another day. Because he needs to repent and god will have mercy and grace on his life and soul, and free him from the chains! in Jesus Name amen! I can tell from his eyes he didnt mean to. God bless the family grieving aswell!
Seriously?
Glad you stayed anonymous because you obviously have no heart. Imagine her family members seeing this. You should just delete this heartless comment.
She had the right of way. The only one who needed to ‘watch out’ was the coward who hit her and drove off. Try showing some basic human decency instead of blaming a dead woman for her own murder. “Not excusing drunk driving” shut up. Such an absurd and unnecessary comment from a brainless animal.
it does not matter if you have the right of way, if you are a pedestrian or cyclist if you are involved in a collision you are not going to win, even with the right of way
Yes
This is 3 blocks from me. Traffic in Palo Alto is out of control … just not enough for people to really notice it much, but people die getting hit by cars on residential streets pretty regularly here.
University and Embarcadero. People don’t bother to stop for stop signs all the time.
I wonder what was this guy’s immigration status and did that have anything to do with his hit-and-run?
No doubt this was one of my neighbors, and if you drive around here there is little chance someone just crossing the streets would get hit by a sober aware driver. Any licensed driver knows to go slow enough to be able to see and brake for people or animals darting into the street.
BTW, I drive on Lincoln all the time and nearly every time I drive that leg down to University there are drivers who do not bother to stop at stop signs on Lincoln, or the streets that intersect it.
It’s not only are people running stop signs but they use Lincoln as a major thoroughfare and drive at excessive speeds. I’ve lived on Lincoln between Hamilton and Forest for over 30 years and it just keeps getting worse. I started complaining to the city’s Transportation Department about excessive speed in 2021, warning them that a dangerous accident is going to happen and requested they put in speed bumps to slow down the traffic. They said that I needed to collect signatures and file a petition. I did that in August of 2023 and they finally did a survey in February of 2024. Unfortunately, the data they said they collected did not meet the criteria of the “Neighborhood Traffic Calming Policy” and my request was denied. If the speed bumps were present Mr. Estrada would have had to slow down. The city has some responsibility here and I hope they take a good look at this. I’m going to continue my fight to get those speed bumps installed.
May Dr. Caroline Sigman rest in peace.
Is he legal ?
It doesn’t matter whether he is legal or illegal, the crime done is the issue. Drunk driving is a serious issue and data show DUI arrest are higher in Native American and White individuals. Race again is not the issue, drunk driving is. May this lady rest in peace
You’re saying drunken driving is higher among Native Americans? No data, just you saying so. That sounds racist.
I do think it’s a relevant question to ask if he is legal or not. People that are not here in this country legally tend to run after an incident .Regardless of legal status drunk drivers need to be punished. And if you are in this country illegally and you killed someone while drunk driving, you need to be punished and REMOVED from the US. Period
Why are people allowed to live in illegal mobile homes on Bayshore? That could also have led him to hit-and-run. Turning a blind eye to lawbreaking in one area leads to lawbreaking in other areas. Sigman, on the other hand, was a productive member of society.
I just learned of Caroline’s death and I worked and reported to her directly. She was a woman I totally admired. I feel no empathy for the drunk driver who hit her and did not stop to render aid. I also don’t care whether he was a legal or illegal. What needs to be focused on is that he took the life of a wonderful woman and her son has to deal with this tragedy. God bless you Caroline and rest in peace.
This was such a horrible, unnecessary death occurring in what is normally a quiet and peaceful neighborhood! Sadly, Lincoln Avenue has become a ‘racetrack’ thouroughfare of speeders seriously exceeding the speed limit and blowing through the stop signs while using it as a cut through to avoid University. Many close calls have occurred both with other vehicles as well as pets and pedestrians from unthinking/uncaring (let alone sober) drivers. We have been trying to get speed bumps installed (similar to the section of Lincoln between Channing and Middlefield) with the city for quite sometime to no avail. Hopefully this will precipitate some action. My heart goes out to Caroline’s family with deepest sympathy over her wrongful death. This is a neighborhood where we all should feel safe to walk and enjoy life and the beauty of the community!
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