'Sun Glare' Contributed To Fatal Crash In Arlington Crosswalk: Police

ARLINGTON, VA — A police investigation found that "sun glare" was a contributing factor to a fatal crash in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Arlington in early October, where a driver ran into and killed an 85-year-old woman who was walking in a crosswalk, the Arlington County Police Department said Tuesday.

The investigation included the review of crime scene evidence and witness interviews from the Oct. 8 crash. Other factors, such as speed and alcohol, were ruled out, police said.

The driver, Kyle Pasternak, 59, of Arlington has been charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, police said. He was released on a summons.

The fatal crash occurred in the 5800 block of Little Falls Road at around 9 a.m. on Oct. 8, police said.

Upon arrival at the scene of the crash, officers found the pedestrian — Gwendolyn Hayes, 85, of Arlington — in the roadway suffering from serious injuries. She was taken to the hospital, where she died from her injuries.

Police said Pasternak was turning left from John Marshall Drive onto Little Falls Road when he struck Hayes as she was crossing the roadway in the crosswalk. Pasternak remained on the scene of the crash, police said.

Hayes was "an avid walker (and in prior years, runner) and passionate gardener who also enjoyed yoga," according to her obituary.

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