TOWN OF WALLKILL – State Police Friday said the victim of a fatal pedestrian-vehicle accident on Route 17 in the Town of Wallkill Thursday night was a 15-year-old girl. Because of her age, her name was not released. She was said to be the last of five girls who ran across the highway. The others crossed without injury.
The driver of the pickup truck was a 20-year-old man, who called in to report he had struck someone.
State Police Trooper Steven Nevel said the driver was not impaired, was not speeding and was not distracted by his cell phone. Contributing factors include it was dark and that the victim was wearing dark clothing, Nevel said. She was also on Route 17, which is not intended for pedestrians.
Police are looking into unconfirmed reports that the victim was a runaway, Nevel said.
