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Mission Hill Residents Speak Up About Fatal Accident Victim, Street Conditions

BOSTON (CBS) -- A bouquet of flowers has been laid near where a young woman was struck and killed by a vehicle Saturday night in Boston.

"It's just really sad. Someone died just standing on the sidewalk. That should never happen."

A sidewalk on a street in the middle of Mission Hill, a section notoriously known for its steep hills.

"It's not surprising that a car lost control coming down the street," Lindsay Jacobsen said.

It was during Saturday's snowstorm when the driver of a car accidentally struck and killed a 22-year-old former Boston University student.

Boston Police say Jessica Cosman of North Grafton was walking with her boyfriend on Sunset Street when she was hit.

"It's horrible and so tragic," Jacobsen told WBZ.

The Northeastern University law student knows too well. She was home when the deadly crash happened outside of her doorstep.

"I'm just concerned by this. A little afraid to walk on the sidewalks around here now," Jacobsen added.

Mission Hill memorial
Flowers are left near where Jessica Cosman was struck and killed Saturday night. (WBZ-TV)

This wasn't the only deadly crash on Mission Hill. Back in 2009, a Boston firefighter was killed when he lost his truck breaks on Parker Hill Avenue and slid into a building.

The driver on Saturday stayed on scene and was not charged.

Most neighbors on Sunset, near Hillside Street, say being on a steep hill, combined with lack of road treatment during snowstorms, are partially to blame.

"It doesn't get plowed very quickly. It's one of the last road to get plowed generally," Erika McVey said.

McVey is also a Northeastern University student. She wants the city to treat sunset street quicker during snowstorms.

"They should definitely consider it, because it doesn't seem very safe," McVey added.

 

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