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From I wish I knew you

Authorities on Sunday identified a 22-year-old Torrance woman who was struck and killed by a van that was backing up in Redondo Beach, a coroner’s spokesman said.

Melissa Burkhalter was pronounced dead Saturday at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance, said coroner’s Lt. Joe Bale.

Burkhalter, who worked for a catering company, was in the loading dock of the AES power plant when she was struck by a van delivering speakers at 3:40 p.m. Saturday, said Sgt. Phil Keenan of the Redondo Beach Police Department.

Burkhalter had been preparing food for a large party for the Hawthorne-based Richstone Family Center, a nonprofit child abuse outreach. About 20 people had been in the area at the time of the accident.

The event was canceled.

The driver, a 62-year-old woman from Ojai, was not charged, but the accident remained under investigation, Keenan said.

“Apparently she hit the accelerator instead of the brake,” Keenan said Saturday.

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