UPDATED: Van Strikes Darien Woman in New Canaan

Update, 3:00 p.m.: Police have identified the pedestrian injured in Thursday's accident as 44-year-old Darien resident Carol Venezia.

Original article: An area motorist is facing drug and motor vehicle charges after the commercial van he was driving struck a Darien woman in New Canaan, according to police.

The victim—an unidentified Darien resident—sustained injuries to her foot and leg when the vehicle struck her on South Avenue near Bank Street, according Sgt. Carol Ogrinc of the New Canaan Police Department. 

Ogrinc said the woman had been conscious when an ambulance arrived on the scene. She was taken to Norwalk hospital, where she was treated for her injuries and interviewed by police.

The van, owned by Darien-based Swimm Pool and Patio, was being driven by Swimm employee Daniel J. DeRosa, 26, of Norwalk at the time of the accident. DeRosa now faces multiple charges stemming from the incident.

"He has been charged with possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs," Ogrinc told Patch.

At the time of the accident, Ogrinc said officers had been responding to a report of an "erratic driver" on South Avenue in the vicinity of New Canaan police headquarters.

"Shortly after the officers left I heard the ambulance siren," she said.  

Ogrinc said the van in question had been driving northbound on South Avenue when a vehicle on Bank Street began "edging out to make a right."

"The van clipped the front of the vehicle [and] went out of control. I don't know the speed," Orgrinc said. "The van knocked over a street sign. There were three pedestrians—a man, woman and child. The man got the boy out of the way but the woman was struck."

Ogrinc said she did not know if the woman was on the sidewalk or in the crosswalk when she was hit. 

After striking the pedestrian, the van continued on and stopped just north of the intersection of Oak Street and South Avenue. Police removed the vehicle from the scene on a flatbed truck following an initial investigation.

DeRosa was released after posting $500 bond.  He is scheduled to appear in court in Norwalk on Sept. 22.

Mark Swimm, president of Swimm Pool and Patio, told Patch that DeRosa "has been a valued employee for over five years without incident."

"We understand the pedestrian was injured and are praying for a speedy recovery," he continued. "We have been in business for over 20 years and never had anything like this occur. We do not know the details yet and are waiting for the results of the investigation."