Driver Arrested Following Fatal Downtown Smithfield Pedestrian Crash
SMITHFIELD, N.C. – A 20-year-old Wayne County man has been arrested following the death of a 76-year-old woman who was struck by a pickup while walking in a downtown Smithfield crosswalk.
Selvin Adelso Vasquez-Perez, 20, of Seven Springs, was arrested Sept. 21 and charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle in the death of Virginia Tucker Lyon of Smithfield.
The charge stems from the Sept. 19 pedestrian crash at East Market and Second streets.
Lyon was reportedly walking north across East Market Street from South Second Street toward North Second Street when she was struck by a 2017 Chevrolet pickup driven by Vasquez-Perez.
According to court records, Vasquez-Perez was making a left turn from North Second Street onto eastbound U.S. 70 when the pickup struck Lyon in the marked crosswalk.
Lyon was transported to WakeMed where she later died.
According to the arrest warrant, investigators allege Vasquez-Perez failed to yield the right of way to a pedestrian in a crosswalk and was driving without an operator’s license. The warrant alleges those violations were the proximate cause of Lyon’s death.
Vasquez-Perez was released on a $1,500 secured bond. As a condition of his release he was ordered not to operate a motor vehicle.
Smithfield Police continue to investigate the fatal collision.
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This is UNBELIEVABLE, more than likely illegal and kills someone while driving with NO LICENSE and gets out with a 1500 fine with you expecting him NOT TO DRIVE. WHAT A FREAKING JOKE!! Prays for the Lyons family. 🙏
Check your reading skills. Where does it say fine?
It is possible that the lady walked in front of the truck and the driver didn’t have time to react. Maybe that is why it was charged as a misdemeanor and not a felony.
” Wayne county….”
I mean if you read right it didn’t say illegal alien for all I know he is an American citizen. Or just because he is brown he can’t? Still rip to the lady.
You wouldn’t be in the market for a bridge, would you?
Come on! I’d say there’s a 99.9% chance he’s here illegally yet people and media have gotten too afraid to report this because of the fear of being labeled a “racist” by people like yourself!
What are you really wanting to say
Seriously! $150O? Really? This is outrageous! No license!
Only a 1500 fine is absolutely ridiculous
You will NEVER see this person ( being politically correct) AGAIN! South America or Bust!
What makes me mad is the fact that a death caused by a motor vehicle is a misdemeanor . A life lost should not be treated so lightly.
Just like the guy that shot a woman mistaken for a deer 🤡 America is a joke
This is a terrible tragedy for all involved – all are forever impacted by this accident
This is totally unacceptable.a prime example of what’s wrong with our system There is no punishment to amount to anything for such a crime .What are they going to do let people do what they want and just tap them on their hand..I wonder if he would have got this low bond if it was this magistrates family or some of their friends family.I think someone needs to clean house .Wow if you want to do wrong ,just do it in Smithfield.People I do get it the low bond is terrible .He will be tried an then the tap on their hand 😡
Thank God Smithfield has evolved into an educational college town that has adopted a progressive liberal policing style. Both the victim and the accused was treated with respect and both was shown the value of being a hard working American. Smithfield has become a progressive shining town on the hill that it citizens can be proud of now.
That’s a da*n joke right? I was raised here and hate even being close i stay out of smithfild as much as possible and stay as far out in joco as possible.
Dense…
We are very fortunate to have a Smithfield policing force that doesn’t cooperate with ‘THE SHOOT FRIST ICE MAGA MOB’!!! Folks remember to vote for the God Loving Democrats this midterm election and let’s get politicians that value normalcy back into power!!! Proud of our progressive Smithfield police department for showing their humanity with the fair charges and also that brave magistrate for being as close as he/she could be enforcing our no bail policies!!! GO TOBS!!!
I mean this with ALL disrespect, are you ********? You really think a slap on the wrist for that boy who was driving illegally and failed to yield and watch for pedestrians, that had the right of way mind you, is worth that poor lady’s life? He needs to be punished accordingly or hes not going to learn his lesson and get away with murder. F the political views, what about morals and the value of human life? When its one of your family members or a loved one who gets mowed down the way that lady did, dont get upset when the one who does it gets a slap on the wrist, keep the same bulls**t values youre preaching about now. Have the day you deserve
God loving democrats? Everything in both your comments is so funny that I laughed so hard I snorted. I’m hoping that your comments were satire because if not that’s scary.
You are a F%@cking idiot!
Time to take your meds Biden
Go back to where you came from.
Are you just stupid….I bet if it was your family your love acceptance crap would be different. There is a reason you have to have a license to drive. Actions should have consequences and when they don’t you have choas. If he was breaking in your house with a gun and killed your family member would you be OK with such a bond? A vehicle is a weapon if not operated correctly…there are rules and training required to operate it and when you think the rules don’t apply to you and do it anyway you should pay the price. I don’t care what nationality you are if you come here or are born here you live by our rules. A lady needlessly lost her life because of a person’s BAD decision and he made the choice to drive! He is definitely of the age of accountability and should be held to answer for his actions. I guess you are okay with people like me having to have a driver’s license, paying taxes on my vehicle, paying insurance on my car, keeping valid tags on my car, and making sure people that drive my vehicle have a license but it is ok for him NOT to. I didn’t give my kids keys to our cars until they had a license and paid for them to take driver’s education when the state didn’t provide it. I worked to pay for this and I did this because that is the process. Nobody put a gun to his head to make him drive and when he started that truck he knew what he was doing. Right is right….even when you support the left and rules ate rules!
The comment section really struggling with your sarcasm today
They are all dense…
We have a President with 34 felonies and a rapist charge. Yes American has become a joke. I am so sorry for Mrs. Lyons. Yes, white, black, red, or brown break the law. We just need to be fair in our judgement and punishment. Do the right thing no matter who they are. Can we just agree to that!
That comment,wow! Poor woman!
When I was arrested back in 2017 for NOL I was given a $5,000 secured bond. I get that I was breaking the law but to see that this man has killed someone and only a $1,500 bond makes me scratch my head
Don’t scratch your head too hard. Certain people can get away with murder, as is in this case. These are grotesque times for Smithfield citizens. The leadership here clearly doesn’t care about tax-paying law-abiding residents. How else can you explain getting away with illegally driving without a license, in an illegally squatted pick-up truck, striking an elderly woman so hard, she dies hours later, and all you get is a $1,500 bond, and then released???? It’s disgusting!! Some people will be punished for alot less, while others get away with murder. Thank the progressives for this culture that now disregards victims and helps criminals. Prayers to the Lyon family. Prayers to us all!!
How do u think that guy got into our country? Driving with no license. DEMOCRATS. I’m sure he’s a local guy. Doesnt know the driving laws.
having no license does not mean he is here illegaly… plenty of white folks without a license do you question how they got into the country.. or just brown people Elaine?
poor walking infrastructure + large truck with an insane blind spot. not suitable for a town created before the existence of this monstrosity for people to bring to their corporate job. also, why does ABC11 say 2/3rds of the charges (driving without a license and failure to yield) were dropped?
Nice excuse making….
I knew Smithfield would do something like this. They don’t care about its citizens at all.
He was making a left turn which meant he had to check traffic before proceeding and he still hit her while she was in the crosswalk…. It bet it costs him more to get back to where he came from! Don’t blame the police, blame the District Attorney they’re the ones who set bail.
He is being sent back to wayne county 🤣 ooooooooh wait you meant country? I think it will be the good ol USA
District Attorney’s don’t set bail. You have no idea what you are talking about.
Why was he released even if he’s not illegal? He was was not supposed to be driving. He killed somebody. Joco has become Central America!
Reading is essential. He posted a bond. You know there is white people and black people driving illegally too.
Sure, and your point is?
I have a list of people I would like to run over for $1,500.
That guy is 600 miles away from here by now. It’s not like they can track his movements through his ID.
And no one will be held accountable for Ms. Lyon’s death. Life isn’t fair, all too often.
If it was a little old white lady driving all your opinion’s would be different.