SUNY Potsdam Basketball Captain Emily Mae Smith Killed in Hit and Run

A 20-year-old college basketball captain was killed early Saturday morning after being struck by a vehicle that fled the scene near the SUNY Potsdam campus. Emily Mae Smith, a sophomore business administration major and member of the Potsdam Bears women's basketball team, died from her injuries after the incident on Pierrepont Avenue.

Police responded to reports of a pedestrian struck at approximately 3:37 a.m. Smith was transported to Canton-Potsdam Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Authorities allege the driver left immediately after the collision. Investigators identified the suspect vehicle as an older-model black Cadillac Escalade with front-end damage. At around 7:25 a.m., officers located the vehicle traveling on Route 11 east of Potsdam and arrested the driver, 18-year-old Jakob D. Krise of Brasher Falls, without incident.

Krise has been charged with leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle crash, zero tolerance driving while intoxicated, and driving across hazard markings. He was arraigned in Pierrepont Court and released under probation supervision. Police stated the investigation remains active and additional charges may follow.