A neighborhood in New Jersey is urging action from local officials after a woman was “smashed” by a semi truck reversing down a residential street after leaving a nearby distribution plant.
76-year-old Alexandra “Sasha” Suchinsky was struck by the truck on November 4th while picking up debris from the street in front of her home on Albion Avenue.
“Her head was smashed,” her son, John Suchinsky, said of the incident.
Residents of the neighborhood say the problem stems from a chicken distribution company at the end of the block. They say that trucks often drive in reverse down their narrow, dead end street to access the plant, and that officials have done nothing to address the issue, even since Alexandra Suchinsky died.
“If you came here at six or seven in the morning, you couldn’t get up the street,” said John Suchinsky, referring to the semi trucks that also park along the street.
Residents attended a City Council meeting on Thursday night, November 10th, in an attempt to get the problem fixed, but they say they attended a similar meeting years ago, urging officials not to let the chicken plant expand because they were worried someone would get killed.
“I’m here to tell you I told you so,” one resident said at the meeting.
“It seems like every time they wanted to do something, they got approved,” John said.
“What happened to Sasha is not only a tragedy, it’s a travesty,” said neighbor Eric Williams. “She did nothing but bring positivity to my block.”
Authorities have not released the name of the truck driver or company in the incident, but did confirm that the truck was traveling in reverse at the time of the incident. No charges have been filed in the accident. The chicken business could not be reached for comment, reported North Jersey News.
Local police say that concerns expressed at the recent meeting have prompted them to take a closer look at the traffic situation.