The crash that took place Sunday night involving a collision in which a pickup truck struck the Amherst Post Office bus stop on North Pleasant Street, has claimed the life of 55-year-old William E. Wanczyk, of Northampton.
The crash, which destroyed the stop’s glass exterior and metal structure, occurred at 9:38 p.m., according to a Masslive report.
Wancyzk was transported to Cooley Dickinson Hospital shortly after being struck by the vehicle, and was pronounced dead just after 10 p.m.
The truck was left heavily damaged and abandoned by the driver north of the crash site.
The operator fled and has not been located yet, according to a statement released by Mary Carey, communications director of Northwestern District Attorney’s Office.
The incident remains under investigation by Amherst Police, Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, MSP Crime Scene Services and MSP Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, according to Carey.
“It is an active investigation,” Livingstone said. “Our detectives are working on it.”
Glenn Barrington, general manager of UMass Transit, stated in a phone interview with the Massachusetts Daily Collegian Monday evening that the bus stop shelter may be temporarily closed.
“We are servicing [the bus stop] today,” Barrington said. “We are installing a new one around 1 p.m. [Tuesday]”
The bus stop has been closed and subject to repair following the incident Sunday night. Barrington stated the stop might be slightly shifted while the new shelter area is being positioned.
The District Attorney’s Office encourages anyone with information regarding the incident to contact the Amherst Police Department or the Massachusetts State Police.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated version of a story posted on Monday, Nov. 7. Hayley Johnson also contributed to this report.
Nujhat Purnata can be reached at [email protected].