A former New Kensington woman in a wheelchair was killed early Thursday when she was struck by a pickup as she crossed Route 28/66 near Kittanning, according to Armstrong County Coroner Brian Myers.

Sylvia Jean Denslow, 53, left the Bench Racers convenience store in Rayburn with her boyfriend just before 5:30 a.m. As they went to cross the road, the boyfriend told authorities that he had been walking beyond Denslow with coffee in his hands and was not pushing Denslow’s wheelchair, Myers said.

A pickup driven by Roger Crissman of Cowansville struck Denslow, according to Myers. Denslow was dead at the scene.

Neither Crissman nor Denslow’s boyfriend was hurt.

The coroner said a heavy fog limited visibility in the area of the crash.

Myers said Denslow was from New Kensington but began staying at a nearby motel in Rayburn three days ago.

“She’s basically homeless,” Myers said.

An autopsy was scheduled for later Thursday. No funeral information was immediately available.

Route 28/66 was closed in both directions for about three hours after the crash. It reopened around 8:45 a.m.

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