Woman killed by van driver blinded by glare

Kiryas Joel - A village woman walking at the intersection of Zenta and Schunnemunk roads late Monday afternoon was struck and killed by a delivery van whose driver had been blinded by the sun’s glare, according to State Police at the Monroe barracks. State Police said Nuchem Schwartz, 21, of Kiryas Joel, was driving a 2004 GMC Savanna van at 3:23 p.m. Monday en route to Miron Road to deliver meat. He was traveling north on Schunnemunk Road, and then made a left onto Zenta Road where, police said, he was blinded by the sun’s glare. At the same time, police said, Sara Brief, 42, of Kiryas Joel, was crossing Zenta Road on foot at its intersection with Schunnemunk Road when she was struck by the van. K-J Auto, along with the Kiryas Joel Ambulance, responded to the scene and lifted the van off the victim. Police said Orange County Coroner Thomas Murray, however, pronounced Brief dead at the scene. The Troop F Accident Reconstruction Team assisted with the investigation. The van was registered to the Congregation of Bnai Yoel Inc. in Kiryas Joel. There were no arrests or summonses issued.