NEW ROCHELLE, NY — An elderly hispanic man, walking with the aide of a walker on a New Rochelle sidewalk, was struck by a white work van driven by Jeffery Strickler, 59, of Cicero, NY and died Tuesday.
The incident occurred at about 11:30 a.m. Strickler, a worker at the site of the new Deals store on North Avenue was backing out onto North Avenue when he struck the victim. Strickler told police he never saw the victim.
The property where construction has been underway for months is owned by Capelli Enterprises which is building out the space for the Dollar Tree chain store. The store is expected to open in July.
Strickler backed the van over the victim so that the victim and the walker became pinned under the van. New Rochelle Police and firefighters responded to the scene. One witness says the van had to be lifted up to the get the victim out. He was taken to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx.
One police source told Talk of the Sound the man was taken away by paramedics in critical condition.
“It doesn’t look good,” said one officer who asked not to be identified.
The man died at the hospital Tuesday afternoon.
The driver of the van appeared to be in a state of shock, asking police if he could go back to work.
Police set up crime scene tape and closed off all vehicular traffic between Morris Street and The Boulevard on North Avenue for several hours.
The name of the victim is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Police said it did not appear that drugs, alcohol, or speed were involved. The van has been impounded for equipment inspection.