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Driver charged after deadly Cary pedestrian crash
WRAL • • nation
Key Points:
- Ayaz Pathan has been charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle, failure to reduce speed, and failure to yield to a pedestrian after a 76-year-old woman, Soile Lazarz, was fatally struck while crossing a crosswalk on Ederlee Drive in Cary.
- Lazarz was hit shortly after 7 a.m. on August 26 near Peregrine Place and was pronounced dead at the scene; the driver and child passengers in the SUV were unharmed.
- The crash has intensified concerns about pedestrian safety on Ederlee Drive, prompting State Rep. Julie von Haefen to request a safety review from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) for the intersection.
- Residents and neighbors had previously reported issues with the crosswalk’s visibility and driver compliance, leading to complaints to NCDOT and the Town of Cary; current plans include installing a pedestrian hybrid beacon by Fall 2028, potentially sooner.
- Von Haefen has extended condolences to Lazarz’s family and pledged to continue advocating for improved pedestrian safety measures in the area.
