What Happened to Natalia Duque-Wilckens at NC State University?

A quiet evening near campus turned tragic for a respected neuroscientist and assistant professor at NC State University. Her death shook students, colleagues, and the Raleigh community because it happened in a place familiar to thousands of people who walk there every day.

So what happened to Natalia Duque-Wilckens, and how did an ordinary walk along a well-known campus route become the basis of a heartbreaking story? Her loss has pushed many to rethink the daily risks that often go overlooked in crowded college neighborhoods. Here's what we know about the accident.

According to The News & Observer, on a November evening around 6:10 p.m., Natalia was crossing at the intersection of Clark Avenue and Pogue Street when a vehicle failed to yield in the crosswalk. She was struck and later died from her injuries. She had the right of way at the time of the collision.

The driver was identified as 19-year-old Jack Etheridge of Waxhaw, N.C. Police say he stayed at the scene and was not injured, per ABC 11. He now faces a misdemeanor charge of death by motor vehicle after failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. The crash is under investigation at the time of this writing.

Natalia joined NC State in 2022 and led research on neuro-immune pathways linked to anxiety and depression.

Colleagues described her as an energetic mentor whose work showed real promise. Students said she had a gift for explaining complicated science in a way that made them want to learn more. Her lab called her death “an immeasurable loss” for the university’s research community.

They hope this leads to conversations about pedestrian safety and how quickly a preventable moment can change lives forever.

The charges stem from failure to yield and the resulting fatality. North Carolina law separates misdemeanor vehicular death from more severe charges like felony death by vehicle or homicide. Police said there was no sign of impairment. Instead, investigators pointed to the failure to yield at a marked crosswalk.

The case raises serious concerns about infrastructure and driver behavior. The intersection sits in a busy part of town where foot traffic and vehicle traffic mix.

Students told ABC11 the road and crosswalks aren't safe in this area. One student said something needs to be done to make the area safe for pedestrians. What happened to Natalia has only intensified those concerns.

"I've had people not stop for me many times. One time at night, either somebody didn't see me, or they saw me and they wanted to make a point, and they actually sped up in the intersection. I had to jump out of the way. It was pretty scary," said student Zainah Al-Bataineh.

While the legal process continues, the heart of the story is the sudden loss of a woman deeply committed to advancing mental health research and shaping the next generation of scientists.

Natalia leaves behind a community of students and colleagues who admired her curiosity, her compassion, and her drive to understand the human mind. Her work will ripple far beyond the walls of her lab. Her absence is felt in classrooms, research meetings, and the crosswalk where her life was cut short.