POTSDAM, NY, (May 16, 2026) – A 20-year-old college student was killed early Saturday morning in a hit-and-run pedestrian crash in Potsdam, authorities said.
The Potsdam Police Department identified the victim as Emily Mae Smith, a sophomore at SUNY Potsdam and member of the women’s basketball team.
Officials said Smith was walking near Pierrepont Avenue at approximately 3:30 a.m. when she was struck by a vehicle that fled the scene immediately after the collision.
She was transported to Canton-Potsdam Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
Police later located an 18-year-old driver around 7:25 a.m. on U.S. Route 11 and took the individual into custody. The suspect faces multiple charges, including leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death, zero-tolerance driving while intoxicated, and driving across hazard markings.
The Potsdam Police Department continues to investigate the incident.
