Peter Cornetta, 63, killed after he is struck by a van that served to avoid an accident while crossing Mercury Boulevard in Newport News, Virginia

A 63-year-old Newport News man was struck and killed Monday by a van while crossing Mercury Boulevard, a police spokeswoman said. The accident occurred shortly before 10 p.m. when Peter Cornetta, of the 6000 block of Jefferson Avenue, was struck by a 1998 Ford Windstar while crossing Mercury Boulevard about 200 feet west of Newmarket Drive, a Newport News Police Department spokesman said in an email. The minivan was traveling in the right lane eastbound on Mercury Boulevard, Eley said. The driver of the minivan, a 24-year-old Newport News man, was traveling in the center lane when the vehicle in front of him slammed on brakes, Eley said. He swerved right in the minivan to avoid an accident and didn't see Cornetta who had crossed into the right lane Cornetta was struck with the passenger side of the front of the minivan and was thrown onto the sidewalk, police said. A witness at the scene saw the crash and called 911. Cornetta was transported by paramedics to Riverside Regional Medical Center. He was pronounced dead at about 10:45 p.m., police said. Speed and alcohol were not factors in the crash, police said. He said Cornetta was not crossing at the intersection and was wearing dark clothing. There are no charges pending against the driver. The Newport News Police Department Crash Reconstruction Team continues to investigate the crash.