Long Island Woman Fatally Hit By Car On Way To Christmas Mass

A 70-year-old woman, who was about to step into a Christmas Eve midnight mass in North Patchogue, Long Island, New York, was fatally hit by a car outside a church, police said Monday.

Barbara Rizzi, 70, was crossing North Ocean Ave. to enter Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in North Patchogue when a 2016 Nissan sedan slammed into her shortly after midnight on Monday as she was heading towards the church.

Rizzi, who lived about a mile from the church, was immediately taken to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital in East Patchogue but succumbed to her injuries. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Driver Samantha Reyes, 20, whose car hit the elderly woman, remained at the scene but no charges were filed against her immediately. She was not injured. However, her car was impounded pending the investigation for a safety check.

Police said anyone with information on the crash can call the Suffolk County Police Department’s 5th Precinct at (631) 854-8552.

A similar incident took place in England, where a woman died after being struck by a car on Christmas Day. Emergency services were called immediately to Oldham Road, at the junction of Naylor Street, in Miles Platting, England sometime after 9 p.m. local time (4:00 p.m. EST).

The 44-year-old woman was reportedly crossing the street at a pelican crossing at the time of the accident. She was rushed to a hospital in an ambulance where she was declared dead a short time later.

A man was arrested late Monday on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. He still remains in police custody for further questioning.

The age of the arrested man was not yet disclosed by the authorities.

Police Sergeant Lee Westhead of Great Manchester Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “We sadly had to inform a family on Christmas Day that their loved one has died, a time when other families were enjoying the festivities — our thoughts are with them at this extremely difficult time.”

“This is a complex and fast moving investigation and I am appealing to the public to help us — we urgently need to speak to anyone who witnessed this collision or anyone who was with or spoke to the driver immediately before or after the collision,” Westhead explained.

“Although the area wasn’t as busy as usual, there were some other people and motorists in the area at the time. If you saw the collision or have any information that can help us, please call us,” he added.

“The car involved would have been damaged to the front in the collision. This may be something that people may have noticed. I’d also ask anyone with dashcam footage to get in touch if you have anything recorded from the area last night,” he told the Manchester Evening News.

In another similar incident, a Falcon Heights woman, died after being struck by a car in downtown Minneapolis last week.

Aileen J. Baesemann, 71, was declared dead at Hennepin County Medical Center. She was hit and run over while she was walking in a lane of traffic in the 700 block of First Street North in Minneapolis toward a parking lot across the street, according to Pioneer Press.