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Police release identity of hit-and-run driver

State police have identified the driver of the vehicle that struck and killed Syracuse University senior Jamie Klemczak the morning of Feb. 20.

Edward Mackenzie of Ilion, N.Y., struck Klemczak when she was attempting to cross the New York State Thruway on foot three miles east of the Herkimer exit around 4:30 a.m. Feb. 20, said New York State Police investigator Ben Scalise.

The driver left the scene, but police were able to identify the car that hit Klemczak as a silver Toyota Camry due to a piece of debris left at the scene, state police investigator Frank Spatto told The Daily Orange on Feb. 20.

Mackenzie came forward Sunday morning after reading an article in the newspaper regarding the accident, his attorney George Aney said. While reading the article in the newspaper, Mackenzie realized the make of the car matched his own and that he had been driving in the area and felt a slight bump around the time the accident occurred, Aney said.

Police released Mackenzie’s name Friday. Scalise said the investigation is still pending and Mackenzie has not been charged with anything.



kronayne@syr.edu

A previous edition of this story appeared on dailyorange.com on Feb. 26.





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