Gisela with actor Robert Pattinson

One of the San Diego Comic-Con attendees who was crossing the street to join her group in line for the San Diego Comic-Con was struck by a car and died.

A 53-year-old Comic-Con fan who had been camping in front of the San Diego Convention Center to secure a place at the popular “Twilight” panel was struck by a car and killed Tuesday.

The woman was in a crosswalk and had a red light when she tried to run across Harbor Drive toward the convention center about 9:20 a.m., said police Sgt. Ron Glass.

The driver of one car saw her and slowed down, but the driver of a Subaru Outback didn’t see her in time, Glass said. The pedestrian tried to stop her own momentum when she saw the oncoming Subaru but tripped and hit the side of the car, Glass said.

He said the woman was crossing the street alone, and there were apparently no other pedestrians nearby who witnessed the accident.

An ambulance took the unconscious woman, who was bleeding profusely from her head, to a hospital where she died.

Friends on social media networks have identified her as Gisela Gagliardi, of Kingston, N.Y.

Comic-Con fans said Gagliardi, who was with a group, had been in line since Sunday for the panel for “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2,” set for Thursday afternoon in Hall H. The highly anticipated panel will include cast appearances and exclusive footage from the movie.

Fans said the convention center staff was about to switch the line, so the beginning became the end, and that she was running to keeping her place in line.

“It’s such a sad loss for our community,” said 23-year-old Melissa Sandate of Tucson, who is a fellow fan of the teen vampire saga.

“It is with tremendous sadness that we offer our heartfelt condolences,” said Comic-Con spokesman David Glanzer. “Our sincere thoughts and prayers go out to all those involved in this tragic incident.”

Shortly after the crash, fans took to Twitter under the hashtag #RIPTwiFanG to express condolences. They said they were working to organize a moment of silence. A memorial fund has been set up for her family.

I’ve been an attendee for the convention for over a decade and this is a sad story indeed.  People go to the con to see the actors and hear straight from them about the movies they helped create, and the excitement of seeing your favorite stories on screen is palpable, regardless of whatever you’re a fan of.

Our hearts go out to this woman and her family and friends.

Source: San Diego UT