LOCKPORT: Woman hit by plow legally blind

Local News

February 2, 2010

Sheriff’s Office trying to learn why Joyce Garvey was struck by state snowplow

By Britney Milazzo The Niagara Gazette Tue Feb 02, 2010, 10:12 PM EST

Niagara County Sheriff’s investigators disclosed a woman struck and killed by a snowplow Monday night was legally blind and had alcohol in her system at the time of the accident.

However, Chief Deputy Steven Preisch cautioned Tuesday that “until the autopsy comes back, we cannot say for sure if her drinking impaired her judgment.”

Investigators also sought to determine if other factors, such as the lack of sidewalks or inadequate lighting in the 6500 block of Dysinger Road, may have contributed to the accident that took the life of Joyce M. Garvey, 44.

Officials said Garvey was walking across Dysinger Road heading to her residence when she was hit by a state snowplow truck.

Preisch said Garvey’s husband, Dennis, and son, Ryan, told police minutes after the accident they had been worried about her crossing the road.

“They said they told her not to go by herself, but she did anyway,” Preisch said.

“She was upset due to the amount of tax return she was getting and left to go get last year’s to compare it,” Preisch said.

Preisch said the truck driver was cooperative with authorities and investigators are still examining the truck for any malfunctions.

“He consented to us taking his phone to see if it was being used during the accident,” Preisch said of the driver. He also said he consented to drug and alcohol tests, which came back negative.

No charges were filed against him, Preisch said.

Preisch said the driver of the truck was salting the street and had the plow up.

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