Woman, 70, fatally hit by car while walking to church, cops say

A North Patchogue woman was killed when she was struck by a car while walking to church in North Patchogue early Monday, Suffolk County police said.

Barbara Rizzi, 70, was crossing North Ocean Avenue on her way to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church at 495 N. Ocean Ave. at 12:05 a.m. when she was struck by a northbound 2016 Nissan sedan driven by Samantha Reyes, 20, of Patchogue, police said.

Rizzi was taken to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center in East Patchogue by North Patchogue Rescue Ambulance, where she was pronounced dead.

No criminal charges have been filed, but detectives have impounded Reyes’ car for a safety check and are asking anyone with information about the incident to call the Fifth Squad at 631-854-8552.

Reyes was not injured.

By Nicholas Spangler

nicholas.spangler@newsday.comspanglernewsday

Nicholas Spangler is a general assignment reporter and has worked at Newsday since 2010.