Woman charged and released after 1-year-old killed in Yates County hit and run

A 26-year-old woman from Penn Yan, identified as Sarah E. Olsen, has been arrested following a hit-and-run incident that resulted in the death of a one-year-old child in the Town of Benton, New York. The tragedy occurred on Thursday around 4:30 p.m. on State Route 364, a high-traffic and high-speed area bordered by farmland and frequented by Mennonite families who often travel by walking, biking, or horse and buggy. Deputies report that Olsen was driving a dark-colored GMC SUV westbound when she struck the child and continued without stopping or calling for help. She has been charged with leaving the scene of an incident without reporting that results in death, a Class D felony, and criminally negligent homicide, a Class E felony. Olsen was arraigned and released on her own recognizance. The child’s uncle mentioned that the boy, who had recently learned to walk, wandered off while his father was working. He urged drivers to slow down on this stretch of road—a sentiment echoed by the Yates County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities are continuing their investigation and are asking anyone with information to call 315-536-4438. Child Protective Services have been involved in the case.

Source: Rochester First