Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

UMass student struck and killed in Belchertown early Saturday morning

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Update: Feb. 16 at 11:13 a.m.

A University of Massachusetts student was struck and killed on Route 9 in Belchertown early Saturday morning.

The victim has been identified as Matthew T. Schiek, 20, of Freehold, New Jersey. He was hit by a pickup truck traveling eastbound near Old Amherst Road and Two Ponds Road, according to a statement from the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office.

CBS 3 reported that Schiek had been assisting his broken-down vehicle on the side of the road, which had its headlights and flashers on. He was struck while crossing the road to return to a residency where he and three other UMass students, who had been traveling with him, attended a get-together earlier that night. Schiek had called for a taxi to take him home.

The victim was reportedly wearing dark clothing and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the pickup truck remained on the scene and cooperated with police.

Drugs, alcohol and erratic operation do not appear to have been contributing factors to the accident, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

The case is being investigated by the Massachusetts State Police Detectives Unit, assigned to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, MSP Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section (CARS) and Belchertown PD.

Aviva Luttrell can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @AvivaLuttrell.

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