An elderly man was seriously hurt Thursday morning when a car hit him as he was crossing a busy thoroughfare in the Richmond District, authorities said.

The 85-year-old man was walking in the crosswalk across Geary Boulevard at 10th Avenue just before 8 a.m. when a Toyota sport utility vehicle making a turn hit him, Fire Department spokeswoman Lt. Mindy Talmadge said.

The man suffered a life-threatening head injury but was alert and conscious while being taken to San Francisco General Hospital, according to Talmadge.

“It’s a terrible accident, but he’s expected to survive,” Police Department spokesman Officer Albie Esparza said.
The SUV driver stopped at the scene of the crash, cooperated with police and was not arrested, Esparza said.
Police shut down the eastbound lanes between Ninth and 11th avenues in order to investigate. Tenth Avenue was also shut down between Clement and Anza streets.

aburack@sfexaminer and maldax@sfexaminer.com