Pedestrian dies after being hit by Newark patrol car, police say

A pedestrian died Friday night after being hit by a Newark police patrol car, according to the Delaware State Police.

The officer was driving east on East Chestnut Hill Road (Del. 4) headed toward the intersection of South Chapel Street about 9:40 p.m. when a pedestrian stepped into the roadway near the entrance to the Robscott Manor development, said Master Cpl. Melissa Jaffe, a state police spokeswoman.

State police said the front of the officer's marked Chevrolet Caprice struck the pedestrian, sending him into the front windshield of the vehicle.

The 40-year-old pedestrian, who state police said was wearing dark-colored clothing, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said the Newark officer was headed to a nonemergency complaint and didn't have the vehicle's emergency equipment activated. Police said the area was dark and the pedestrian wasn't wearing reflective material on his clothing.

A Newark spokeswoman deferred comment to the Newark Police Department, which declined to make a statement. Neither has said whether the officer remains on active duty.

"Due to the fact that this is an active state police investigation, we are not making any additional comments pending the conclusion of their investigation," said Sgt. Gerald J. Bryda, a Newark police spokesman.

State police did not say what part, if any, Friday's snowy, windy weather played in the crash.

The number of pedestrian fatalities in the United States has grown substantially faster than all other traffic deaths, according to a report issued last year by the Governors Highway Safety Association. The report also shows that Delaware had the fifth-highest pedestrian fatalities per capita in 2016 at 2.83 per 100,000 people.

The report also claims that Delaware is one of five states in which 80 percent or more of pedestrian fatalities occurred in the dark. The other states are New Mexico, South Carolina, Texas and Louisiana.

The officer wasn't hurt, and state police do not believe either speed or inebriation were factors in the crash on his part.

Police are waiting until family is notified to name the pedestrian, a Newark man.

Anyone with information about the collision can call state police at (302) 365-8486.

Contact Adam Duvernay at aduvernay@delawareonline.com or (302) 319-1855 or @duvINdelaware. Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, eparra@delawareonline.com or Twitter @eparra3.

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