NORTH

Woman struck by car, seriously injured on Rt. 56 in Rutland

Kim Ring
kim.ring@telegram.com

RUTLAND - A local woman was seriously hurt when she was struck by a car on Maple Avenue just after 8:40 p.m. Monday.

The woman may have walked or run into the road along a dark stretch of Maple Avenue (Route 56) not far from her home, police said. The male driver of the car, a Kia Rio with New York license plates, stayed at the scene, Officer Ryan Matte said.

Police have identified the injured woman as Linda Downs, age 61, 193 Maple Ave.

It appears she entered the road from the west side and the car, which was headed north, struck her, Officer Matte said. Officers from the Central Massachusetts Regional Law Enforcement Council accident reconstruction team were working to determine how the crash happened and said the area was a "crime scene."

The woman was taken by ambulance to UMass Memorial Medical Center - University Campus by Rutland Fire Department paramedics, and Worcester EMS paramedics met up with the ambulance to provide additional care.

Maple Avenue was closed and traffic was detoured for more than an hour while police investigated.