Wednesday morning started off like any other in the quiet neighborhood along Ederlee Drive. People were waking up, getting ready for work, and stepping outside to catch the early morning air. But shortly after 7 a.m., that peaceful routine shattered when 76-year-old Soile Lazarz was hit by a black SUV near Peregrine Place.
She was walking near the side of the road when the vehicle struck her. Bystanders who witnessed the collision ran over right away to help. They tried everything they could on the pavement alongside arriving first responders, working frantically to save her life.
Despite those quick efforts from neighbors and paramedics, Lazarz died from her injuries right there on the street. The news spread fast across Cary as residents realized a familiar local face was suddenly gone.
Lazarz was 76 years old and had spent decades building memories, raising a family, and forming tight bonds with those around her. People who lived in the area knew her as a steady, warm presence in the neighborhood. Losing her so abruptly on a regular morning walk hit local families hard.
Inside the black SUV, the situation took a very different turn. The driver and the children riding along as passengers escaped the crash without a single physical injury. They stayed at the location while patrol cars arrived with lights flashing down the block.
Cary Police officers shut down Ederlee Drive near Regency Parkway shortly after pulling up to the scene. They stretched crime scene tape across the pavement so collision reconstruction teams could map out the road and piece together what happened.
The traffic shutdown lasted through the late afternoon, stalling local commuters and cutting off normal entry to the nearby Symphony Greenway trail. Walkers and cyclists heading out for exercise had to turn back as officers spent hours gathering evidence.
Police have not filed any charges against the driver as the investigation remains active. Department officials are asking anyone who saw the crash or has relevant details to call the Cary Police Department non-emergency line at 919-469-4012.
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