Police say city woman killed while crossing Columbus Ave. was inside crosswalk

The crosswalk where Cindy Aspinall, inset, was killed on Friday. (Courtesy photos)

ROCHESTER - Rochester Police confirmed on Tuesday that the Friday accident that claimed the life of a Rochester woman occurred while she was crossing Columbus Avenue in her mobility scooter inside the crosswalk near Kentucky Fried Chicken.
During a discussion on the exact location of the crash that killed 57-year-old Cindy Aspinall, Rochester Police Chief Gary Boudreau confirmed that she was on her mobility scooter inside the crosswalk when she was struck by a southbound vehicle.
Earlier this week City Councilor Dana Berlin, who has been pushing for flashing crosswalk beacons to be installed at the KFC crosswalk, told The Voice that photos of the accident scene that he had viewed also appeared to show Aspinall was inside the crosswalk.
Boudreau said the crosswalk in question takes pedestrians from the corner of Upham and Columbus to the corner of May and Columbus.

Meanwhile, the City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a set of flashing crosswalk beacons for the sidewalk where Aspinall was fatally struck. The roughly $20,000 cost will come from DPW's pedestrian safety fund.

During a discussion on the beacons Public Safety Chair Pete Lachapelle said it was unclear whether the beacons would have saved the victim's life, but they would, indeed, make the crosswalk safer, especially at night.

Ironically, the vote came just four days after her death.

Aspinall was crossing Columbus Avenue in a mobility scooter around 1:55 p.m. when she was struck.
In her obituary in The Rochester Voice today, she was remembered as a woman who suffered multiple health issues, including a heart defect as a child and later in life cerebral palsy, but maintained a positive and cheerful attitude.
She was also known for her love of cats and daily rides on her scooter.
"Through it all she always remained independent and positive, always keeping a smile on her face," her obit read.
Rochester Police said the investigation into the accident is active and ongoing. The driver of the car has not been named.
Anyone who witnessed the accident is encouraged to contact the Rochester Police Department at (603) 330-7128.
The Strafford County Technical Accident Reconstruction Team is assisting with the probe.