Man struck by car, seriously injured

STAMFORD — A 79year-old pedestrian was seriously injured while crossing Strawberry Hill Avenue in the crosswalk before dawn Friday morning, police said.

The city man sustained serious, but non-life-threatening injuries after being struck by a southbound vehicle driving down the busy four-lane street near Stamford High School, said Sgt. Jeffrey Booth, who heads the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Squad, which investigates the most serious accidents around the city.

The crosswalk has been the site of serious and fatal accidents, and overhead lights to warn motorists of someone using the crosswalk were installed after Stamford High student Karina Tinajero-Arreguin was stuck and killed there in 2016.

Booth said the pedestrian, identified as Joseph Mongiello, did not turn on the lights while using the crosswalk about 6:22 a.m. Friday. Mongiello was knocked to the ground and was rushed to Stamford Hospital.

Booth said the driver, identified as 61-year-old Jose Morales, who was driving a 2000 Chevrolet S-10 pickup, stopped and when he spoke to investigators he admitted that Mongiello was in the crosswalk when he hit him.

Morales was issued a ticket for not granting the right of way to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, Booth said.

Booth said the pedestrian was not at fault for not activating the bright overhead lights.

“The driver is required to yield to pedestrians. The lights are there to make it safer and he did nothing wrong by not pressing the button to activate them. Obviously, it would have been better if he did,” Booth said.

Booth said crash investigators do not believe the driver was speeding.

“Speed does not seem to be factor in the crash, We don't think he was driving excessively fast,” he said.

The road was closed in both directions in the area of Stamford High School for about two hours before being reopened.

Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call police at 203 977-4712.