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Rye resident hits, kills Manhattanville student

Emma Fox, a resident of Rye, struck and killed a Manhattanville College student with her car while traveling eastbound on Westchester Avenue in White Plains on Oct. 9.

At about 5 a.m., White Plains police responded to a call at the corner of Westchester Avenue and Anderson Hill Road. Robert Schartner, of Fishkill, a 21-year-old student from Manhattanville College who had been walking back to campus following a night out on Mamaroneck Avenue, was struck by Fox’s 2012 Nissan Sentra and died from injuries sustained upon impact.

Fox, who, according to sources, had been drinking at the Pub, a bar in Rye, has been charged with an aggravated DWI and first-degree vehicular manslaughter. Police reported that Fox, 24, had been intoxicated; her blood alcohol content was measured at 0.21; the legal limit in New York state is 0.08.

According to a source, Fox was recently treated in a rehabilitation clinic for substance abuse.

Robert Schartner, 21, a student of Manhattanville College, was struck and killed by an allegedly drunk driver during the early morning hours on Oct. 9. Photo courtesy Manhattanville College. File photo
Robert Schartner, 21, a student of Manhattanville College, was struck and killed by an allegedly drunk driver during the early morning hours on Oct. 9. Photo courtesy Manhattanville College.

Fox’s car was impounded by police after being located several blocks away from the accident, and remained there well into Sunday afternoon.

White Plains police Lt. Eric Fischer said the Police Department was still investigating whether Fox called the police herself to report the incident and where she had been driving from. He declined to comment further when asked additional questions by the Review.

Following the arrest, police viewed several hours of security footage at the Pub to establish a timeline of Fox’s whereabouts, and how much she had been drinking on Saturday night, according to a source.

Robert Wolf, a spokesman for the Westchester County district attorney’s office, confirmed that the district attorney’s office is prosecuting the case, but declined to comment on the investigation.

Schartner, a junior, was entering his third season with the Valiant men’s lacrosse program this year.

“We are all in shock and we extend our prayers and condolences to his family members and friends,” said college President Michael Geisler in an email sent to Manhattanville students, faculty and staff. “The level of Robert’s commitment to his team could never come into question; whatever he was asked to do, he did with a smile on his face.”

The funeral mass was held for Schartner at the Church of the Resurrection in Rye on Oct. 12.

“Robby had a contagious smile, one that you couldn’t help but catch,” said Falon Kirby, a Manhattanville senior and friend of Schartner’s. “He was an amazing friend, student, athlete, and an overall great person. Manhattanville isn’t going to be the same without him, but the community will come together to help one another to keep smiling just as he would have wanted us to. He is so dearly missed and will forever be in our hearts.”

Fox is being held on $100,000 bail in the Westchester County jail and is due back in court on Oct. 17. She appeared in court on Oct. 11 where she was said to be distraught. It has also been reported that Fox has been placed on suicide watch.

Stephen Lewis, Fox’s attorney, and Rye Police Commissioner Michael Corcoran could not be reached for comment, as of press time.