Man, 80, killed crossing Hempstead Turnpike

An 80-year-old man was killed Saturday night after he was hit by a van as he crossed Hempstead Turnpike, police said.

The man, whom police declined to identify, was struck by a 2006 Chevrolet van owned by Optimum about 6:45 p.m. as he crossed south to north in Franklin Square, near 700 Hempstead Tpke., Nassau police said. He was pronounced dead at 7:15 p.m. at an area hospital. The driver of the van, who police did not identify, was 41. No charges were filed against the driver, a spokesman said.

Optimum is owned by Cablevision, the parent company of Newsday. A Cablevision spokeswoman declined to comment pending further information.

Hempstead Turnpike, a 16-mile thoroughfare in Nassau County, has been ranked one of the region's most dangerous roads for pedestrians. A Newsday investigation found that design issues and human error contribute to the danger, and advocates have called for improvements and design changes.