Michael Mancuso became at least the 22nd pedestrian killed on a three-mile stretch of Route 38 since 1975 when a vehicle struck him Thursday, Oct. 8.

Mancuso, 36, was crossing the eastbound lanes near Longwood Avenue around 7:56 p.m. when the vehicle hit him, according to Cherry Hill police. He was later pronounced dead. The driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators.

As we reported Friday, Oct. 9, Mancuso was a Cherry Hill resident. His death marked the township's third pedestrian highway fatality in 2026 and the 13th in Camden County this year, according to NJ Pen.

At least 21 pedestrians had been killed on the heavily commercial stretch of Route 38 near Longwood Avenue and Cherry Hill Mall over the past five decades, according to a 70and73.com analysis of state fatal-accident data. Mancuso's death raises that count to at least 22.

Some of the deaths followed a pattern. Pedestrians stepped off buses and tried to cross the highway to catch buses on the other side or reach stores, according to police investigations cited by 70and73.com.

Former Cherry Hill Police Chief Robert Kempf, in a 2024 interview with 70and73.com, said about 90 percent of pedestrian crashes on Route 38 were caused by the pedestrian's actions. Pedestrians were either not at a crosswalk or at one but not waiting for the signal, Kempf said.

Kempf pointed to one measure that worked. Concrete barriers and fencing on the Route 38 median near Cuthbert Boulevard had discouraged jaywalking, he said in the same 2024 interview. He also said education about where to cross was the most effective prevention tool.

Mayor David Fleisher, interviewed alongside Kempf in 2024, said Cherry Hill's overall accident statistics were not alarming compared to other communities. "One fatality is too many," Fleisher said in the same 2024 interview.

No public statement from Fleisher or current police leadership specifically addressing Mancuso's death or the 2026 toll has been released. No scheduled meeting or policy action on Route 38 pedestrian safety has been announced.

The Cherry Hill Police Traffic Safety Unit is investigating the Oct. 8 crash with help from the Camden County Prosecutor's Office and the Office of the Medical Examiner. Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information can contact the unit at (856) 488-7820 or [email protected].