Jennifer Proeschel (Facebook)
On Friday Jan. 3, at 8pm, the Yorktown Police Department was called to respond to the scene of a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle in the vicinity of Route 6 and Mohegan Avenue. The vehicle involved left the scene of the accident.
Despite CPR administered by the first Yorktown Police Officer on scene, who was quickly assisted by Lake Mohegan Firefighters and an Empress Paramedic, the pedestrian struck would eventually succumb to her injuries.
Through excellent police work by members of the Yorktown Police Department, as well as with assistance provided by our partners in law enforcement, and members of our local community, an arrest was made in the overnight hours.
Jennifer Proeschel, 42, was killed by the car, driven by Jake Barak, 24, of Cortlandt Manor. Barak is charged with vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, speeding and operating a vehicle in the wrong lane of traffic.
Barak was arraigned on the charges and remanded to the Westchester County Jail. Yorktown Police Chief Robert Noble thanked the following agencies and community members for their assistance:
Westchester County Department of Public Safety, Westchester County Real Time Crime Center, New York State Police Department, Fire and EMS Dispatchers at 60 Control, Briarcliff Police Department, Lake Mohegan Fire Department (Professional and Volunteer FD), Lake Mohegan Volunteer Ambulance Corps
Empress Paramedics, Office of the Westchester County District Attorney, A civilian witness who remained at the scene, St. Mary’s Church (Sarge, you’re the man), Mohegan Volkswagen, Corner Car Care, Taco Bell.
Editor’s Note: First, great job by the YPD and other law enforcement for solving this shocking crime. For those of us who live in this area, and travel Route 6 in Mohegan Lake, for this to happen at 8pm is another great concern.
Jennifer Proeschel grew up in the area and went to Walter Panas High School. She was working for the Guiding Eyes for the Blind in Yorktown.
The driver was chaged with operating a vehicle in the wrong lane of traffic. That likely means that he was dangerously attempting to pass or drive around another vehicle when he hit and killed Proeschel. The accident happened next to CVS, Verizon, Taco Bell and several other business on Route 6, that we all frequent.
This reporter, and many of our readers have experienced out of control drivers, attempting to pass vehicles along Route 6 and Route 6N. To have a vehicle approaching you in your lane driving directly towards you, is a danger that should not be allowed.
Jennifer’s sister Chris told the Journal News, “We’re just struggling with the fact she was left by the side of the road for dead. I understand accidents happen but for someone to just drive off like that is absolutely unconscionable.”
We couldn’t agree more and our prayers go out to your family. We will monitor this case to see what sentence is handed out. If and when Jake Barak gets out of jail, he should NEVER be allowed to drive a car again.
