State Police Investigating Pedestrian Fatality: TEACHER

Location: 14511 Sycamore Road, Laurel, DE

Date of Occurrence: Friday May 18, 2012 at approximately 9:03 a.m.

Operator and Vehicle: Matthew A. Kondash, 28, Laurel, DE 1982 Yamaha motorcycle

Pedestrian: Eleanor B. Pusey, 78, Laurel, DE

Resume:
Laurel, DE- The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating a pedestrian fatality involved in a crash with a motorcycle.

The incident occurred at approximately 9:03 a.m. this morning as Matthew A. Kondash, 28, was operating his 1982 Yamaha motorcycle on Sycamore Road traveling east bound toward Beaver Dam Branch Road east of Laurel. Kondash was approaching a sharp right curve, while just ahead of him, was a vehicle traveling in the same direction in the process of negotiating the same curve. This curve was marked with a solid double yellow line indicating a no passing zone. Kondash closed in on the vehicle and maneuvered his motorcycle into the west bound lane, while still negotiating the curve, and began passing around the vehicle. As the motorcycle exited the curve, he switched back into the east bound lane of travel. At this same time, Eleanor Pusey was walking from Epworth Church/School, which was located on the north side of the road, to the south side of the road where the school children were participating in a field day event. Ms. Pusey was then struck by the motorcycle in the roadway and later pronounced dead at the scene.

Matthew Kondash was thrown from the motorcycle. He was flown from the scene by LifeNet to Christiana Hospital for serious injuries he sustained in the crash.

The children and other staff where well off the south side of the road at the time of the collision and were not injured.

The roadway was closed for approximately three hours as the crash was investigated and cleared. The investigation into this crash is continuing and charges are pending.