Another pedestrian struck by car in Morristown

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A Pennsylvania motorist was charged with failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk after a Morristown woman reported being struck in the knee earlier this month, according to police.

Twenty-year-old Bria Davis was taken to Morristown Medical Center by the Morris Minute Men ambulance squad after the May 9, 2014, accident at the intersection of Ridgedale and Abbett avenues.

Morristown police on crosswalk duty near the Green on May 13, 2014. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Morristown police on crosswalk duty near the Green on May 13, 2014. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

Driver Kevin Bush, 27, of Dingman’s Ferry, Pa., was charged with failure to yield.

The accident occurred at 7:16 am. The victim told police that her right knee was struck by the Volkswagen Jetta.

This incident comes at a time when police have announced stepped-up efforts to enforce crosswalk safety, following three crosswalk accidents within a month-long span during the winter.

Since the start of 2013, Morristown has seen at least 50 crosswalk accidents, according to Police Chief Pete Demnitz and recent police reports.

The chief has estimated his officers have given motorists about 200 warnings and 25 tickets for violations relating to pedestrians since enforcement was increased in March.

About one-fourth of local accidents involving pedestrians are the pedestrians’ fault, according to the chief, who told MorristownGreen.com this month that he intends to start ticketing pedestrians who dart into traffic.

‘DID NOT OBSERVE THE PEDESTRIAN’

morristown police badgeA pedestrian charged by Officer Scott Weaver on March 31 with failing to obey traffic signals on Washington Street got slapped with drug charges and obstruction of justice, too, and was sent to the  Morris County Jail in lieu of $2,500 bail.

That alleged incident happened around 9 am, police records indicate.

Just after midnight on April 25, a homeless man was ticketed for his alleged failure to use a crosswalk.

On May 1, at 8:40 am, a motorist from Freehold was charged with failing to yield to a pedestrian in the crosswalk at Speedwell Avenue and Flagler Street.

And shortly before 9 pm on May 9, a Mendham man was charged by Officer Joseph Heuneman with failing to yield to a pedestrian on Morris Street.

In the most recent case,  Officer Robert Iozzia reported that driver Kevin Bush explained he had stopped for a red light at the Route 287 southbound ramp on Ridgedale.

And when he “started to make a right turn [he] did not observe the pedestrian and struck her while she was in the crosswalk.”

The victim told the officer that she had the crossing signal when her knee was injured, according to the report.
 

 

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