Woman Killed Crossing Route 17 Was Mom Influencer On Social Media

PARAMUS, NJ — Police are still probing the death of a woman struck and killed crossing Route 17 at 3:30 a.m. two weekends ago, who has since been identified as a mom with a large social media following.

Demaris D. Martinez of Hillsdale was hit by a Kia and then a tractor-trailer crossing the highway early Saturday, Sept. 21, according to police.

The morning of the crash, Police Chief Robert Guidetti told the Patch around noon that police were still trying to identify the victim. He said she had crossed the highway from east to west near Wendy's. Police did not know the reason she was there.

Martinez was a single mom who had made popular videos about following Jesus, cooking, and overcoming sexual and domestic abuse. And this past March, she shared in a video that she was in school to become "One of the world's greatest lawyers someday."

She had also made videos with her young son that she said were in collaboration with a news channel.

"R.i.p. sweet girl," wrote one commenter on YouTube last week.

On Facebook, a follower wrote, "Wow I can’t believe."

She had showed a sense of humor in her posts. The day before she died, she reposted a meme that said, "I treat my friend requests like Section 8, you never know when you gone get approved."

Investigators are still trying to determine why she was crossing the highway that night.

Chief Guidetti said anyone with information can contact Detective Sergeant Nicholas Luciano at the Paramus Police Special Investigations Unit, 201 262-3400 x 1428.

READ MORE: Woman Killed Crossing Route 17 In Bergen County Saturday: Police