On Tuesday, November 6, at about 10:45 a.m. Marlene Raub, leaning on a cane, came out of the polling station Forks Township Community in the County of Northampton (Pennsylvania). After a moment, she was hit by a van.
Raub was urgently taken to St. Luke’s University Hospital in Bethlehem (PA), where doctors performed CPR, but were unable to save her. After 40 minutes after the incident, the woman died from head injuries.
Police of forks township, who arrived at the scene, did not name the driver of the deadly vehicle, but described her as a 78-year-old woman who «remained at the scene and was ready to cooperate».
Update: Witnesses say the person fatally struck by car at Forks Township polling place had just voted. https://t.co/29zDlhw4e8 pic.twitter.com/mSDkuUSPKJ
— The Morning Call (@mcall) November 6, 2018
Ed Regan, who had his back turned at the moment of impact, said the sound was similar to the «as if [faced] two automotive bumper». He saw that the victim fell to the ground and called 911.
Other witnesses of the tragic events said the van was turning left, when Raub was on the premises. According to eyewitnesses, the old lady hit her head on the asphalt.
As reported by law enforcement officials, the incident was classified as an accident. The driver was questioned by investigators before being released without charge.
During victory speech, Susan Wilde, elected as a member of the U.S. house of representatives from the County, where he lived Raub asked all about the moment of silence in honor of the deceased.
«My heart aches for her, for her family and for what she was just doing her civic duty, like many in the area and across the country,» — said Wilde.
