HARTFORD -- Police said the man killed in Wednesday's pedestrian vs. van accident on Wethersfield Avenue has been identified as 80-year-old Stanislaw Gnatek.
The 500 block of Wethersfield Avenue was shut down for most of the day Wednesday as investigators were responding to a fatal accident involving a pedestrian and a pick-up truck.
Investigators said a green pick-up truck struck a man as he crossed a busy area of Wethersfield Avenue around 3:30 p.m.
Lieutenant Paul Cicero, Hartford Police Department said, “Patrol officers along with Hartford fire all responded, and they located a single male victim suffering from critical injuries, he was pronounced at Hartford Hospital almost immediately and unfortunately he’s been since declared deceased.”
Traffic had to be diverted through rush hour and into the evening as the accident reconstructionist's processed evidence and started a lengthy investigation.
“They are going to look at whether speed was a factor, whether there was perhaps alcohol or narcotic intoxication, they’re gonna look at road conditions, traffic conditions, obstructions perhaps. So they’re going to conduct a comprehensive investigation, it’s going to be long term, it’s going to be a while.”
This section of Wethersfield Avenue was where another pedestrian was struck and killed just three months ago. It’s also a well populated and busy part of the city.
Police will use that to assist in their investigation.
“There is a lot of businesses in the area, so they’re going to be looking for perhaps people that witnessed it or surveillance cameras in the area that would assist them in their Investigation.” Lt. Cicero said.