Driver Charged in Crash That Killed Mom, Injured Daughter

A man was arrested after he was allegedly using his cell phone while driving, leading to a crash that killed a woman and left her adult daughter fighting for her life.

Police say 47-year-old Samuel Distefano was driving his 1990 Ford Ranger pickup truck on Evesham Road in Voorhees Township, NJ around 8:20 p.m. back on April 27.

Investigators say Distefano did not have a seatbelt on and was checking his phone while driving when he struck Serafina Fel and her daughter Anna Veksler as they walked across Evesham near Kresson Road.

Medics rushed Fel, 63, and her 38-year-old daughter to Cooper University Hospital. Fel died while her daughter remained in extremely critical condition with life-threatening injuries, according to police. 

Friends say the mother and daughter were walking to CVS, which they did whenever the weather warmed up, and were only steps away from their destination when they were struck.

"It's just very sad," said Jacqui Canter, their neighbor. "It's a loss in the neighborhood."

Distefano remained at the scene and spoke to police. On Monday, police announced Distefano was charged with reckless driving and was ticketed for using a cellular device at the time of the crash.

Veksler remains in critical condition.

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