Thread: Pedestrian hit by car, dies; identity unknown

By SOPHIA VORAVONG
svoravong@journalandcourier.com

Police need help identifying a pedestrian who was fatally injured Tuesday night when struck by a car on U.S. 52 South near Tippecanoe Mall.

The victim is described as a Hispanic male in his mid-30s, roughly 5 feet inches tall and 175 pounds, with short dark hair. He was wearing a dark red sweatshirt, dark-colored blue jeans and brown leather shoes.

Sgt. Max Smith of the Lafayette Police Department said the man was walking in the middle of the right, southbound lane of U.S. 52 South, south of Maple Point Drive, when he was hit from behind about 7:54 p.m. by a Buick sedan, driven by John E. Young, 76, of Frankfort.

The impact broke both of the victim's legs, and he suffered severe head and internal injuries, Smith said. He died shortly after being taken to St. Elizabeth Medical Center.

Lt. Sarah Sheppard of the Purdue University Police Department said the victim is believed to have been a customer at -- and had just walked from -- the Pepe's restaurant at 2525 Sagamore Parkway S., outside Tippecanoe Mall. He had no wallet or identification.

Police are investigating whether he was impaired.

The wreck closed both southbound lanes of 52 South for about three hours as police investigated and cleaned up debris.

The Lafayette Metro Fatal Alcohol Crash Team was called to the scene after officers who first arrived detected a faint smell of alcohol coming from the driver of the Buick, said Smith, commander of the unit.

FACT is called anytime police suspect impairment in a crash with serious bodily injury.

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Smith said Young had a blood-alcohol content of 0.02 percent after the crash -- well under the legal limit of 0.08 percent to drive in Indiana. He has not been arrested or ticketed.

He was driving around the posted speed limit of 55 mph, Smith said.

Both Young and his wife, whose name was not immediately available, were treated at Home Hospital for minor injuries and released.

Smith said witnesses passing in the left, southbound lane of U.S. 52 South told police that they had seen the victim walking in the roadway.

But the man would be easier for motorists in the left lane to see because of the headlights from their own vehicles and from Young's car, Smith said.

"He said that all of a sudden, the man was there," Smith said.

Anyone with information on the pedestrian in Tuesday's fatal crash is asked to call Lafayette police Sgt. Max Smith at (765) 807-1293.

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Police have identified the man fatally injured Tuesday night when he was struck from behind by a car on U.S. 52 South near Tippecanoe Mall.

Israel Villa-Lopez, 36, was walking in the roadway, just south of Maple Point Drive, when he was hit about 7:54 p.m. He died shortly after being taken to St. Elizabeth Medical Center.

Villa-Lopez is a Mexican national who has been in the U.S. for about three years and in Lafayette for about two months, where he had been living with his brother at Friendly Village mobile home park, according to Sgt. Max Smith of the Lafayette Police Department.

Police believe he was a customer at the Pepe's restaurant outside Tippecanoe Mall and was walking home when hit.

Villa-Lopez's brother positively identified him this afternoon at the Tippecanoe County coroner's office, Smith said.

The driver who struck Villa-Lopez was not arrested or cited.

That's really sad, and especially to unable to identify him.