ENCINITAS — An Encinitas teenager killed Friday evening after being struck by a vehicle while crossing a stretch of El Camino Del Norte in Olivenhain is being remembered through photographs, flowers and handwritten notes left at a growing roadside memorial near the site of the fatal collision.
The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim this week as Seraphina “Fin” Rose Fadick, 17, of Encinitas.
The collision occurred around 7:16 p.m. in the 2700 block of El Camino Del Norte, just east of Windmill Ranch Road on a semi-rural, two-lane stretch between the Val Sereno County Preserve and Escondido Creek corridor, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the Medical Examiner, Fadick died from blunt force injuries to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:23 p.m., minutes after the collision. Her death was ruled an accident.
Sheriff’s investigators said a 2025 Nissan Z was traveling westbound on El Camino Del Norte when it struck Fadick as she was crossing the roadway. The driver remained at the scene and was not injured.
Authorities said alcohol and drugs are not believed to have been factors in the collision, which remains under investigation.
A roadside memorial has since grown near the site of the crash, where flowers, notes and photographs pay tribute to the Encinitas teen’s life.
Among the images are photos of Fadick with family and members of Girl Scouts Troop 1258, reflecting an active life spent with relatives and friends.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Seraphina ‘Fin’ Rose Fadick, a Girl Scout alum of Troop 1258 and beloved member of our Girl Scouts San Diego community,” said Carol Dietrich, CEO of Girl Scouts San Diego. “We are sending our deepest sympathies to all who knew and loved Fin and hold her family and friends in our thoughts during this incredibly difficult time. Once a Girl Scout, always a Girl Scout. Fin’s kindness, spirit, and impact will not be forgotten. Thank you, Fin, for making the world a better place.”
The San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy has also shared photos over several years showing Fadick participating alongside her parents and siblings in the conservancy’s annual Coast to Crest Challenge, a popular hiking series.
In the wake of Fadick’s death, traffic safety is expected to be a key topic at a community forum on July 22 at the Olivenhain Town Meeting Hall. The meeting, featuring Mayor Bruce Ehlers and Councilmember Marco San Antonio, was organized to address neighborhood concerns about development, traffic and public safety and will give residents an opportunity to ask questions of their elected leaders.
Residents can RSVP and submit questions through the event page before the meeting.
Anyone with information about the collision is asked to contact the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
UPDATE: This story has been updated to include a comment from the CEO of Girl Scouts San Diego.
