State Police: UConn Had Near-Miss Just Days Before Pedestrian was Killed by a Fire Vehicle

STORRS, CT — Sunday's fatal incident involving a pedestrian and a University of Connecticut fire vehicle happened just days after a near-miss with a university-owned van at the intersection of Route 195 and Horsebarn Hill Road, state police records indicate.

The earlier incident took place at about 8 p.m. on Oct. 10, according to a state police accident report. A 2010 Ford Econoline full-size van owned by UConn was traveling north on Route 195 and made a right-hand turn onto Horsebarn Hill, according to a state police accident report.

A pedestrian just south of the intersection then decided to dart toward the road and "ran into" the front of the van as the vehicle traveled through the intersection on a green light, according to a state police accident report.

The 18-year-old girl was not seriously injured and was issued a warning for "suddenly leaving a place of safety and walking into the path of a vehicle as to constitute an immediate hazard," a state law, according to a state police accident report.

A UConn student from West Hartford was killed early Sunday morning while sitting against a garage door as the bay was opening for an incident call, according to state police.

The student has been identified by state police as 19-year-old Jeffny Pally. The driver of the UConn Fire Department sport utility vehicle has been identified as 60-year-old Dana Barrow, a captain and shift commander.

He has been placed on administrative duty and will not be dispatched to calls while the incident is being investigated, university spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said Monday morning.

According to a state police accident report, at 1:13 a.m. on Sunday, Pally was sitting with her back against a bay door at the UConn Public Safety Complex.

The fire department then received a call to an incident at 100 North Eagleville Road, according to a state police accident report.

The bay door opened vertically, Pally fell back and the SUV ran over her, according to a state police accident report.

The State's Attorney Office and UConn police called in the state police Crash Analysis Reconstruction Squad to investigate the incident.

The squad on Sunday issued a request for "anyone who witnessed the collision sequence or has knowledge of the pedestrians's activities prior to the collision sequence" to come forward. State police said witnesses can contact Trooper Mark DiCocco at 203-630-8079 or at mark.dicocco@ct.gov.

UConn officials are encouraging students and staff to take advantage of counseling services available to them. Each year, as students report back to classes in the fall, UConn police engage in an extensive pedestrian safety campaign.

Photo Credit: UConn.edu