At least 4 killed in pedestrian accidents along Camden County highway

WATERFORD TOWNSHIP, N.J. - A deadly situation in a small South Jersey town, where at least four people have been hit and killed along a stretch of White Horse Pike, in Waterford Township since November.

The latest accident involving a pedestrian hit on the White Horse Pike in Waterford Township, in Camden County, happened Thursday evening, around 6:15, in front of Steve Henderson’s tattoo shop. A 59-year-old Atco woman was critically injured along the stretch of roadway.

That follows four pedestrian fatalities just since Thanksgiving. The first of the four pedestrians killed happened in front of Henderson’s shop where there is a small memorial of crosses and flowers.

Officials say it was an on-duty Waterford police officer in a marked patrol vehicle that hit and killed a 44-year-old Berlin man walking along the White Horse Pike about 2:15 Thanksgiving morning.

"I was sitting at my desk and heard all the sirens then I saw flashing lights in front of my shop," Henderson remarked about Thursday night’s accident. He added, "Walking across the streets here, it's very bad. There's really no sidewalk. They either have to walk on the shoulder or on the grass of the businesses."

An employee in Henderson’s shop, Amanda Reiss said, "Not surprising. It’s very dark around here and it’s a very busy area. It’s a real hazard all the time."

FOX 29’s Steve Keeley witnessed people dressed in dark clothing walking along the mostly dark roadway.

The deadliest of the four fatal accidents occurred in front of the Atco Motel on December 29th. Two juveniles were killed and a third person with them was seriously hurt. Even Henderson’s tattoo shop was a victim in a recent crash, where the shop’s sign was taken out.

A customer in the shop, Lori Finlayson, described the road, "It’s just really scary. People are not paying attention. They’re just driving extremely too fast right through this area."

Waterford Police said all of the accidents of the last 10 weeks are under investigation, with no charges filed in any of them. And, because an on-duty officer’s vehicle hit and killed a pedestrian on Thanksgiving, it’s standard procedure for the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office to investigate that accident.