Pedestrian Killed by Car that Plunged Down Embankment in Hastings

A driver who apparently lost control while trying to navigate a curve in the road in Hastings-on-Hudson on Friday afternoon struck and killed a pedestrian when his vehicle plowed through a fence and according to reports that Hastings Police Sgt. Andy Hayden cited as accurate.

Reports have named the victim as Mario Moreno, 39, of The Bronx. Moreno was a handyman for Riverview catering hall on Warburton Ave. and was preparing for an evening event when the accident occurred, according to reports Sgt. Hayden cited as accurate. He reportedly worked for Riverview for 15 years. 

Sgt. Hayden said the accident occurred around 2:15 p.m. Emergency responders and police from Yonkers assisted at the scene where Moreno was reportedly found with his leg severed below the knee. The victim went into cardiac arrest before being transported to St. John's Riverside Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to reports Sgt. Andy Hayden cited as accurate. 

The car, described as a black Ford sedan, landed yards away from the Metro North Commuter Railroad Hudson Line tracks. Reports say the car had Connecticut license plates. The driver's identity has not been released; he was the sole passenger. 

"The driver was interviewed by detectives and is being cooperative," Sgt. Hayden told Patch.

The cause of the accident is not yet known and remains under investigation. "Everything is under investigation. Nothing has been ruled out," Sgt. Hayden told Patch. 

The incident created delays for Hudson Lines trains passing through the Yonkers-Hastings border. Trains were able to inch through, but were stopping briefly as a safety precaution.