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86-year-old woman struck and killed while walking on Malden sidewalk

MALDEN, Mass. — A crash has resulted in the death of an 86-year-old woman in Malden, the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to Boston 25 News Monday. That incident happened on Hunting Street in the city, near a local Econo Lodge, just after 1:30 p.m.

That woman was walking on the sidewalk of Hunting Street when she was hit by a Toyota RAV4 driven by a man in his 20s.

The car had been at Garcia’s Auto Repair across the street when it crashed through the door of the shop and traveled across the street, hitting the woman. She was pronounced dead at the scene and has not yet been identified by police.

That driver remained on scene and was taken to a local hospital. Witnesses said he was in shock.

“He fell out of the car, he was in a daze. The ambulance had to take him away. He had no idea what was going on,” said Esteban Brito, who works across the street.

The crash was loud according to people who live nearby.

“Like a big bang,” said one neighbor.

Other neighbors also heard the crash before they saw the aftermath.

“As soon as it happened we just turned around and saw the car, it was like a huge boom,” Brito said.

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“He was in the garage; I know they were working on the car. They must have lost control of it or something, it broke right through the door, and it happened in like five seconds.”

And it was exactly at that point that the 86-year-old woman who lived just a block away was out for a walk on Hunting Street. The woman was hit by the SUV between a telephone pole and a brick pillar. Inches, witnesses said, that may have made all the difference.

“Literally, one second later she would not have gotten hit,” Brito said.

The DA’s office said the incident remains under investigation as a community comes to grip with the loss of a woman just out for an afternoon walk. State and local officials are also investigating the fatal crash.

“Honestly, I still [...] don’t even think my mind has processed it, it’s surreal. I don’t know, it’s crazy to see,” Brito said.

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