She was crossing westward when the Nissan hit her—a detail that matters because Nelly Ruiz, 54, wasn’t darting into traffic or taking reckless chances. She was simply trying to get from one side of High Ridge Road to the other on the night of November 8, around 10:30 p.m., near the 900 block of a stretch where the city never installed a crosswalk, never painted lines, never made any space for pedestrians between the curbs. For years, residents have complained about that very section, saying it feels like an accident waiting to happen.
The 30-year-old driver of the Nissan Altima didn’t flee. He stayed at the scene, called 911, and cooperated fully with responding officers. But staying doesn’t undo what happened—it doesn’t reverse the catastrophic impact that threw Ruiz to the pavement and left her clinging to life. Emergency crews rushed her to Stamford Hospital, where she remained in critical condition for hours before succumbing to her injuries.
Neighbors described Ruiz as a hardworking woman with a kind smile, someone who often walked that route home after finishing her evening shift. Many in the community now say her death was not just a tragic accident but a preventable one. They’re urging city officials to finally address the lack of pedestrian infrastructure on High Ridge Road, demanding crosswalks, better lighting, and speed enforcement before another life is lost.
Police continue to investigate, reviewing surveillance footage and witness accounts, though early reports suggest no signs of impairment or reckless intent. For those who knew Nelly Ruiz, however, the facts only go so far. What remains is the heartbreak of a life cut short—a gentle soul who should have made it safely across the street but instead became another statistic on an unsafe road.
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