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Carol Ventura, a North Bergen native who lived on Prospect Avenue, was in the crosswalk when she was struck by a 2021 Dodge Ram pickup truck that was turning from southbound Summit Avenue onto eastbound Passaic Street shortly after 8:30 p.m., police Capt. Nicole Foley said.
"After being hit, she was subsequently run over by a westbound landscaping truck’s trailer," Foley said.
Ventura was pronounced dead a short time later at Hackensack University Medical Center.
The pickup truck driver, 42, of Rochelle Park, told police he "had a green light when he proceeded into his turn and did not see [Ventura] until after his vehicle struck her," Foley said.
The 51-year-old Paramus driver of the 2012 Ford F550 landscaping truck said he was "traveling straight through the intersection, also with a green light," the captain said.
"He reported not seeing [Ventura], who had already been struck and was lying in the roadway," she said. "The back portion of his trailer then struck [her]."
Police were continuing an investigation, the captain said.
"It should be noted that a pedestrian in a crosswalk at a traffic signal only has the right-of-way if the signal in same direction as the pedestrian is walking is green," she noted. "Or, at a signal with a pedestrian crossing device (which this intersection does not have), the white hand/walk signal must be illuminated."
"Based on the initial investigation, and Patino's statement, it does appear that [Ventura] had the right of way," Foley added. "Both drivers remained on scene and cooperated in our initial investigation."
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