A pedestrian died after being struck by a SUV that later crashed into a Prince George’s County building Monday morning.
Prince George's County police say icy conditions are to blame in an accident that left a pedestrian dead and an SUV in the storefront of a building.
Officers were called to the 4800 block of Rhode Island Avenue in Hyattsville around 7:40 a.m. for a report of an accident. Police said the driver hit 24-year-old Jose Martin Huaman before crashing into the building.
Surveillance footage from the building shows the SUV traveling northbound when it suddenly starts moving sideways, crossing a lane of traffic and striking Huaman. The vehicle then jumped a median, crossing the other side of the roadway before slamming into the storefront.
"[The pedestrian] was unresponsive and right before the fire department arrived he stopped breathing," Prince George's County Police Officer Vincent Simmel said. "It's unfortunate. I wish I could have done more."
Huaman, of Hyattsville, was pronounced dead later that day.
According to police, the 44-year-old driver hit a patch of ice and lost control of her vehicle. Authorities are looking into whether the ice came from a broken water main as WSSC crews were called to the area for a break around the same time as the accident.
"This is pretty much an ongoing leak," Ted Pantazes told News4.
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In a statement, WSSC officials said they had approximately 60 leaks to respond to Monday morning, and have to prioritize their response times.
No charges have been filed at this time.
