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Woman Hit by Truck Dies

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

A 21-year-old woman died after being struck by a pickup truck driven by a suspected drunk driver outside a Burbank radio station where pop star Justin Timberlake was being interviewed, police said Tuesday.

Police said Anne White of Burbank suffered “horrific injuries” when she was struck and then dragged for a block about 10:15 p.m. Monday. She was later pronounced dead at Providence St. Josephs Hospital, Burbank Police Lt. Tim Stehr said.

Police arrested Cameron Duty, 23, of Sylmar on suspicion of murder, driving under the influence and hit-and-run.

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Duty, who is being held in lieu of $1-million bail, is scheduled to be arraigned today in Burbank Superior Court.

Fans had gathered behind the KIIS-FM (102.7) studios at Warner Boulevard and Avon Street shortly after 10 p.m. to catch a glimpse of Timberlake, who was there taping an interview, police said.

Witnesses told police investigators that Duty was boisterous--playing loud music from his truck’s stereo--and that he appeared intoxicated, Stehr said.

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Police said Duty jumped into his truck and drove in reverse at a high rate of speed across Warner Boulevard and over the curb.

“He hit a stop sign and hit the victim and continued in reverse approximately 50 feet up Avon Street,” Stehr said. “He then struck a parked vehicle, put the truck in drive and started forward with the victim still under the vehicle.”

Police said two Burbank officers on patrol near Olive and Lima avenues noticed a white pickup with extensive damage and stopped to investigate a possible traffic accident.

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Duty was detained and failed a field sobriety test, Stehr said.

Timberlake, 21, a singer-songwriter with the group ‘N Sync, released a statement expressing sympathy to White’s family and friends.

He also said his representatives were in contact with RADD, Recording Artists, Actors & Athletes Against Drunk Driving, and would announce a partnership with the organization to raise awareness about the danger of driving drunk.

Roy Laughlin, the radio station’s general manager, said the incident was tragic.

“Everybody in Los Angeles has stopped at one time and said, ‘There’s a celebrity,’ ” Laughlin said. “All of a sudden, this young lady met with an unfortunate tragedy doing just that.”

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